SOLICITOR-GENERAL

Criminal Justice Board (Nottingham)

Graham Allen: To ask the Solicitor-General if she will make a statement on the work of the Crown Prosecution Service with the Nottingham Criminal Justice Board.

Harriet Harman: The Chief Crown Prosecutor for CPS Nottinghamshire is a very active member of the Local Criminal Justice Board and chairs two of its sub groups. One of these, which includes Victim Support, has engineered considerable improvements for dealing with vulnerable and intimidated witnesses. The group are now pioneering a system to provide updates and guidance to victims about their cases.
	The Chief Crown Prosecutor also leads a group which is working on ways to improve communications between the agencies and the community. A regular bi-monthly bulletin is to be published for MPs and community groups which will explain the work of the board and the progress it is making in dealing with the offences that disrupt and disturb local communities. On behalf of the board, the Chief Crown Prosecutor is also leading an initiative to ensure all schools in Nottinghamshire are aware of the work and structure of the Local Criminal Justice Board.
	The Crown Prosecution Service is also a major contributor to the board's delivery group which is tasked with narrowing the justice gap, bringing more persistent offenders to justice, and decreasing the cracked and ineffective trial rate.

Domestic Violence

John Bercow: To ask the Solicitor-General if she will make a statement on her policy on prosecution of offences arising from domestic violence.

Harriet Harman: The CPS handles around 13,000 cases involving domestic violence each year which arc conducted in accordance with the Crown Prosecution Service revised policy on prosecution of cases of domestic violence issued in November 2001. The policy focuses on the safety of the victim and children, while holding abusers accountable for their actions.

EU Fraud

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Solicitor-General what mechanism she has for co-operating with the EU authorities in prosecuting fraud cases involving EU funds.

Harriet Harman: Member states may request mutual legal assistance in gathering evidence by invoking the European Convention on Mutual Legal Assistance 1959. The UK prosecuting authorities can similarly seek assistance from other member states.
	The United Kingdom Central Authority (UKCA) at the Home Office receives incoming requests for assistance. The Metropolitan Police, the Serious Fraud Office and Customs and Excise would gather evidence in England and Wales in response to an incoming request.
	The European Community institutions established the European Anti Fraud Office (Office Europeen de lutte antifraude—OLAF) in 1999 as a successor to the Task Force for the co-ordination of fraud prevention (UCLAF). It is an independent body, but remains part of the European Commission. This is the principle authority with responsibility for investigating fraud involving EU funds.

Football (Prosecutions)

Bob Russell: To ask the Solicitor-General how many professional footballers have been charged in the past 12 years for (a) acts of violence and (b) disorderly behaviour during matches.

Harriet Harman: The Crown Prosecution Service holds no central records on the occupation of defendants in criminal cases or on particular offences

Iraq

Glenda Jackson: To ask the Solicitor-General, pursuant to her answer of 20 October, Official Report, column 352W, on Iraq, to the hon. Member for Medway, what constituted the effects in UN Security Council Resolutions 678 and 687 which, combined with Resolution 1441, provided a legal base for the use of force in Iraq.

Harriet Harman: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave the hon. Member for Stone on 17 March, Official Report, column 515W. This set out the written answer given by the Attorney General in the House of Lords on the same day, which explained how, in his view, authority to use force against Iraq existed from the combined effect of resolutions 678, 687 and 1441.

Anti-terrorism, Crime and Security Act

Simon Thomas: To ask the Solicitor-General how many allegations of bribery of a foreign public official have been passed to the Serious Fraud Office since 14 February 2002; and how many of these allegations have resulted in an investigation; and whether any charges or arrests have been made under Part 12 since that date.

Harriet Harman: Part 12 of the Act came into force in February 2002. The Act is not retrospective and to prosecute under the provisions of Part 12, all elements of the overseas offence must have taken place after February 2002. The very nature of such offences is that they can take some time to surface, and as such a period where no prosecutions are instituted is to be expected.
	There have been no specific referrals made to the SFO where bribery of a foreign public official is the sole or principle allegation, or where it has been appropriate to invoke powers under the Anti-Terrorism, Crime and Security Act 2001. As such no investigations have been commenced where the focus has been on Part 12 offences.

PRIME MINISTER

Iraq

Jonathan Sayeed: To ask the Prime Minister whether the Chiefs of Staff expressed unease to him in March regarding the proposed war against Iraq.

Tony Blair: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Linlithgow (Mr. Dalyell) on 16 September 2003, Official Report, column 635W.

Madrid Initiative

Bernard Jenkin: To ask the Prime Minister 
	(1)  if he will make a statement about the Madrid Initiative in response to Pakistan's capacity to export nuclear weapons;
	(2)  what discussions he has had with his Madrid Initiative counterparts regarding Pakistan's capacity to export nuclear weapons.

Tony Blair: The first meeting of the Proliferation Security Initiative was held in Madrid on 12 June. Subsequent meetings were held in July, August and October in Brisbane, Paris and London respectively.
	The Proliferation Security Initiative aims to counter the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, their delivery systems and related materials by any state or non-state actor. No specific countries have been identified as primary targets of the Initiative.
	We regularly urge all states to sign, ratify and abide by the obligations of all treaties and conventions covering the development of such weapons.

Official Buildings

Norman Baker: To ask the Prime Minister if he will list the buildings within a mile of Parliament for which the staff of 10 Downing street have responsibility, giving in each case the date of acquisition; and whether acquisition was in each case (a) as a result of a departmental transfer and (b) a new acquisition by the Government; and what the buildings are used for.

Tony Blair: None.

CONSTITUTIONAL AFFAIRS

County Courts (Security)

Andrew Love: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs what measures are being taken to improve the safety and security of staff working in county courts.

Christopher Leslie: The DCA and Court Service take the health, safety and security of its employees very seriously. The Department has minimum security standards for county courts. The purpose of these standards is to ensure that appropriate security arrangements exist to protect staff, judiciary and court users. The Department undertakes a rolling programme of inspections to ensure that standards are being met. Security reviews also take place following any major incident. The standards are kept under review to ensure that they properly take account of any new or emerging risks and threats. The Department also has a rolling programme of fire safety and general health and safety inspections to ensure that its buildings are safe and all relevant legislation is being complied with.

Edmonton County Court

Andrew Love: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs, if he will make a statement on the progress made in reconstructing Edmonton County Court since September.

Christopher Leslie: On 1 September 2003, a suspected arson attack resulted in extensive damage to Edmonton County Court. Following an extensive programme of replacement and improvements, the court was able to fully re-open for business on 13 October 2003.
	To alleviate the fears of court users and help prevent damage to the building by similar future attacks, a number of security improvements, including the installation of CCTV cameras, are being put in place.

EDS

Vincent Cable: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs if he will list payments made to EDS in respect of the courts' computer systems in each of the last five financial years; and if he will make a statement.

Christopher Leslie: The following net payments were made to EDS in the last five financial years in respect of the courts' computer systems (LOCCS contract):
	
		
			  £ million 
		
		
			 1998–99 5.92 
			 1999–2000 14.35 
			 2000–01 24.9 
			 2001–02 33.4 
			 2002–03 17.5 
		
	
	The pattern of expenditure reflects the wide-ranging programme, beginning in 1999, to modernise the Department's work, to increase its efficiency and provide better customer service, which has varied the level of payments from year to year. This programme included the provision of new services, such as:
	modifications to the court case management system to include a module for family work;
	modernisation of the jury summoning system;
	modern IT support for the Judiciary; and,
	the Money Claims Online project.

Privy Council Judicial Committee

Lady Hermon: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs, what countries use the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council as their final court of appeal; how many cases have been heard by the Judicial Committee from each of these countries in each of the past five years; and if he will make a statement.

Christopher Leslie: The Judicial Committee of the Privy Council is the final court of appeal for the independent Commonwealth countries listed in the first column of the table, as well as for the United Kingdom overseas territories and Crown dependencies. The table shows the number of appeals from the countries concerned disposed of by the Judicial Committee in each of the five years up to 2002. Some of these appeals were disposed of without a hearing.
	
		Number of appeals
		
			 Country 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 Total 
		
		
			 Antigua and Barbuda 2 — 1 2 — 5 
			 The Bahamas 4 2(1) 3 3(1) 5 17(2) 
			 Barbados — 2(1) — 2 — 4(1) 
			 Belize 4(1) 2(1) 1(1) 3(1) 1 11(4) 
			 Brunei(1) 2 — — — — 2 
			 Dominica — — 2(1) — 1 3(1) 
			 Grenada 2 — 1 4(1) 2 9(1) 
			 Jamaica 9 7(1) 10 4 8(1) 38(2) 
			 Kiribati(2) — — — — — — 
			 Mauritius 3 3 4(1) 2(1) 3(1) 15(3) 
			 New Zealand(3) 6(1) 10(4) 8(2) 16(3) 14(1) 54(11) 
			 St. Christopher and Nevis — 1 — 1 2 4 
			 St. Lucia — 1 3(2) — 2 6(2) 
			 St. Vincent and the Grenadines 2 — 4(1) 1 1(1) 8(2) 
			 Trinidad and Tobago 8 15(1) 8(1) 8(1) 14(3) 53(6) 
			 Tuvalu — — — — — — 
		
	
	(1) An appeal lies from the Court of Appeal of Brunei to the Sultan and Yang di-Pertuan, in civil cases only. By agreement between Her Majesty and the Sultan these appeals are heard by the Judicial Committee who report their opinion to him instead of to Her Majesty.
	(2) The appeal lies only in constitutional cases affecting a Banaban.
	(3) New Zealand has recently legislated to abolish the appeal for all cases heard by the Court of Appeal of New Zealand after the end of 2003.
	Note
	Figures in brackets (included in the total annual figure given) are for appeals disposed of without a hearing. These were mostly dismissed for non-prosecution or withdrawn.

Rape Cases

Vera Baird: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs what action he has taken to remove circuit judges from the list of those permitted to try rape cases in the last two years.

Christopher Leslie: Section 75 of the Supreme Court Act 1981 states that the Lord Chief Justice, with the concurrence of the Lord Chancellor, can, by means of a practice direction, determine the cases or classes of cases suitable for allocation to High Court Judges, Circuit Judges and Recorders. From time to time successive Lord Chief Justices have issued such practice directions. In October 2001, the current Lord Chief Justice, Lord Woolf, issued a practice direction entitled 'Directions by the Lord Chief Justice for the Classification of the business of the Crown Court and Allocation to Crown Court Centres'. This Practice Direction again determined that all High Court Judges and those Circuit Judges and Recorders, approved for that purpose by the Senior Presiding Judge, with the concurrence of the Lord Chief Justice, can hear rape cases.
	Judges trying rape cases are, of course, under constant public scrutiny. Where problems about judicial conduct become apparent to the Court of Appeal, the papers are referred to the relevant Presiding Judge, or to the Senior Presiding Judge personally. Any complaints, as well as any information suggesting possible inappropriate judicial behaviour, are immediately investigated, and reports in the media of judicial behaviour which, if correct, would give rise to concern, are checked for correctness and completeness by the Presiding Judges. It is, of course, open to the Lord Chief Justice, acting on his own initiative, or on the recommendation of the Senior Presiding Judge, to remove any individual authorisation. The Lord Chief Justice has not had occasion to do this in the last two years.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

Banking Services

Linda Gilroy: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what recent discussions she has had with clearing banks about the need to ensure their services are accessible to people who wish to conduct their business on a face-to-face basis and the role which post offices and sub-post offices can play in achieving this.

Stephen Timms: None. This is a commercial matter for the banks. Banking and other financial services are central to the Post Office's strategy for the future of the network. With almost 17,000 offices, Post Office Ltd has one of the largest retail networks of any organisation in Europe and the Government's investment of £480 million on computerising the post office network means that the Post Office can achieve a new role as a convenient place for people to do their banking
	Universal banking services which successfully went live on 1 April, and these services together with Post Office Ltd's plans for an expansion of network banking (commercial arrangements between the Post Office and individual banks providing access to standard bank accounts at post office counters) should lead to a substantial increase in the number of people using post offices for banking transactions.

CDs

Henry Bellingham: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what steps her Department is taking to protect the interests of consumers from copy protected music CDs.

Patricia Hewitt: Rights owners must be able to use technology to protect their works against unauthorised copying and be free to issue their products, such as music CDs, in copy-protected format. However, these products should be identifiable as such, and we welcome music industry guidelines which recommend clear labelling as regards compatibility with various types of consumer equipment on which the CDs could be expected to be playable.

Electricity

Bill Tynan: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will list, for each of the last five years, applications for construction of new electricity generation capacity for which her approval has been (a) sought and (b) given, broken down by (i) type, (ii) size and (iii) proposed or actual in-service date.

Stephen Timms: The following is the information requested:
	
		
			 Application Applied Approved Size(MW) Type Status 
		
		
			 Raventhorpe 8 May 1998 15 November 2000 450 CCGT Not built 
			 Isle of Grain 18 May 1998 15 November 2000 1,200 CCGT Not built 
			 Langage 9 June 1998 15 November 2000 1,010 CCGT Not yet started 
			 Stoke-on-Trent 28 September 1998 14 May 1999 58 CHP GT Not available 
			 Cantley 3 February 1999 9 December 1999 70 CHP GT Not available 
			 Beglan Bay 23 April 1999 16 July 1999 525 CCGT 2003 
			 Belvedere 29 September 1999 — 70 Wates Public inquiry 
			 South Killingholme 23 November 2000 22 March 2001 700 CHP CCGT 2003 
			 Halewood 29 August 2000 4 April 2001 70 CHP GT Not available 
			 Trafford Park 15 September 2000 10 May 2001 65 CHP GT Not available 
			 Avonmouth 19 October 2000 14 September 2001 180 CHP GT Not built 
			 Cefn Croes 24 July 2000 23 May 2002 60 Onshore Not yet started 
			 Heathrow Airport 2 January 2001 — 65 CHP GT To be decided 
			 Carrington 5 February 2001 18 July 2002 65 CHP GT Not available 
			 Scroby Sands 5 March 2001 17 April 2002 78 Offshore Under construction 
			 Sheffield 25 April 2001 — 65 CHP GT To be decided 
			 Marchwood 8 November 2001 28 November 2002 860 CCGT Not yet started 
			 Hatfield Colliery 9 April 2001 5 August 2003 430 Coal IGCC Not yet started 
			 North Hoyle 18 February 2002 31 July 2002 90 Offshore Under construction 
			 Rhyl Fiats 25 March 2002 12 December 2002 150 Offshore Not yet started 
			 Barrow 31 May 2002 10 March 2003 108 Offshore Not yet started

Electricity

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what contingency plans her Department has to prevent power failures in the United Kingdom.

Stephen Timms: I would refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to her on Tuesday 14 October 2003, Official Report, column 118W.

Electricity

Nigel Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what steps she is taking to ensure continuity of electricity supply; and if she will assess the likely effect on companies and individuals of widespread power cuts.

Stephen Timms: I would refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for the Vale of York on Tuesday 14 October 2003, Official Report, column 118W.

Euro

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many speeches she has made since June 2003 supporting entry into the euro.

Patricia Hewitt: I refer my right hon. Friend to the answer given by the Financial Secretary on 14 October 2003, Official Report, column 142W.

European Power Networks (Balkans)

Harry Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what progress has been made on European power networks for the Balkans; what remains to be done; when it is expected to be completed; and if she will make a statement.

Stephen Timms: Following proposals from the Commission, the countries of the South-East Europe electricity market signed a Memorandum of Understanding—the Athens Memorandum—in November 2002 which would create a single electricity market in the area by 2005, with rules reflecting those of the EU's internal market. The Memorandum also set up a number of institutions collectively called the 'Athens Process'. The agreement paves the way for the eventual integration of the regional electricity market into the wider European one.
	The process is taking place in close co-operation with all international donors active on a regional basis and the Stability Pact.

Information Technology

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry in what ways her Department is promoting the use of information technology solutions as a replacement for paper work.

Stephen Timms: The DTI is promoting the use of information technology solutions in a number of ways, both in conveying key messages to the business community and in the way the Department itself enables its own business processes.UK Online for Business was launched in September 2000 with the aim of promoting the benefits of information and communication technologies. The programme provides impartial advice on how e-business can help businesses reduce costs and increase efficiency by integrating their internal processes and working with customers and suppliers online. This core use of ICT and the more specific usage of e-business technologies to engage, for example, in e-procurement, accounts and collaborative design will provide business with the real potential to reduce and replace paper work.
	The DTI is working with industry to establish a UK Oil Portal on the world wide web, which will enable all business processes associated with granting consents, approvals and regulatory reporting across all Government Departments to be undertaken electronically in a secure manner.
	DTI's Export Control Organisation (ECO) has a number of in-house databases and makes constant use of electronic records when processing licence applications and in responding to requests for information from Government Ministers, Parliament and exporters. The ECO has also recently introduced a facility to enable applications to be made over the Internet.
	Internally, at DTI we are making increasing use of online internal business processesfor our finance and personnel systems, and use our intranet for mainstreamcommunication to staff. We have had an electronic document and records management system for all our five thousand headquarters staff since April 2003, replacing the previous paper system.

Internet Access

Stephen Byers: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many (a) households (i) have internet access and (ii) have broadband access, and how many (b) businesses have (1) internet access and (2) broadband access, broken down by (A) constituency and (B) postcode.

Stephen Timms: holding answer 27 October 2003
	In the second quarter of 2003, 12.0 million (48 per cent.) of households in the UK were connected to the internet from the home, according to the latest ONS statistics published on 30 September 2003. Oftel's research found that 65 per cent. of SMEs had internet access at end August 2003. Oftel publishes data on the combined total take-up of broadband by UK homes and businesses. At end September 2003, there were over 2,628,100 broadband subscribers, of which 2,341,000 were residential broadband subscribers and 288,000 were business broadband subscribers. Oftel monitors the UK narrowband and broadband markets. The findings are published regularly on its website http://www.oftel.gov.uk. Statistical data on take-up of the internet in the UK is published regularly by the ONS on its website http://www.statistics.gov.uk.
	Data broken down by constituency and postcodes level are not available.

Mineworkers' Pension Scheme

Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when she will decide whether to extend the eligibility criterion for the lump sum payment to certain members of the Mineworkers' Pension Scheme from five years' service to four years and six months' service; and if she will make a statement.

Stephen Timms: The intention of the scheme to help those MPS members on the lowest pensions who left British Coal before or shortly after 1975 is to address the problem of retired mineworkers who receive very low pensions in spite of lengthy service in the industry. For this reason, mineworkers with less than five years contributory service were excluded. I have no plans to revisit these criteria.

Mineworkers' Pension Scheme

Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when the tracing exercise to locate members of the Mineworkers' Pension Scheme for whom no contact details are known will be completed; and if she will make a statement.

Stephen Timms: It is expected the tracing exercise will be completed by the end of the summer 2004.

Mobile Telephone Calls

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how much was spent on mobile telephone calls by her Department in the last financial year.

Patricia Hewitt: Responsibility for the provision of mobile telephones for official purposes and for payment of the associated call charges was devolved to individual directorates, agencies and NDPBs at the end of March 1993. Since August 1997, the DTI has increasingly made use of the central Mobile Telecommunications contract managed by the Office for Government Commerce. This contract provides a call-off arrangement for DTI users at advantageous prices ensuring that the Department obtains good value for money. Due to the devolved responsibility for mobile telephone management the only information that can be provided at non-disproportionate cost is the total expenditure with DTI's main suppliers of mobile telephony. From the information currently available, expenditure last year was £342,964 which included both equipment and call charges.

Post Office Card Account

Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry which bank supports the Post Office card account; at what location customers' details are kept with this bank; which other banks were considered for support of card accounts; and if she will make a statement.

Stephen Timms: These are matters that fall within the day-to-day responsibility of Post Office Ltd. and I have therefore asked the Chief Executive to reply direct to the hon. Member.

Renewable Energy Grants

Simon Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will recognise Solartwin as a new technology in relation to the awarding of Clear Skies grants.

Stephen Timms: Solartwin was recognised as an innovative technology when it was developed with a DTI SMART award funding. Solartwin has been on the list of Clear Skies approved products for some months now.

Renewable Energy Grants

Simon Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry for what reasons the Clear Skies Grant Scheme requires the use of digital thermometers.

Stephen Timms: The Clear Skies criterion does not stipulate the use of a digital thermometer where a differential temperature controller is used that can be set to limit the temperature of the water in the cylinder. Systems that do not employ this type of controller are required to use a digital thermometer as these give the clearest indication the system is working efficiently and also due to the high temperatures that can be reached give the most accurate temperature readings, therefore acting as a safety device to ensure individuals do not touch the system in error and get burnt in the process.

Stamp Duty Land Tax

Mark Prisk: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assessment she has made of the impact of increases in Stamp Duty Land Tax on her policies for promoting business, trade and industry; and if she will make a statement.

Ruth Kelly: I have been asked to reply.
	The Government has introduced disadvantaged areas relief which provides an exemption from stamp duty land tax for transactions in non-residential land in Enterprise Areas. This will provide a major boost to businesses investing in commercial premises in those areas.
	In addition the changes I announced on 20 October to the structure for charging Stamp Duty Land Tax on the rental element of new leases will assist small and medium-sized enterprises and business start-ups.

Telephone Exchanges

Adrian Flook: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry which body owns telephone exchanges in Great Britain.

Stephen Timms: holding answer 30 October 2003
	With the exception of Kingston upon Hull, local telephone exchanges in the UK are owned by BT. In the Kingston upon Hull area, they are owned by Kingston Communications.
	Cable Companies also have facilities in areas where they have a network presence.

Telephone Exchanges

Adrian Flook: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry 
	(1)  whether a regulatory assessment has been made of the costs of upgrading telephone exchanges to broadband exchanges; and if she will make a statement;
	(2)  which body is responsible for ensuring that companies other than British Telecom are not asked to pay an uncompetitive price for upgrading telephone exchanges to make them broadband enabled;

Stephen Timms: holding answers 30 October 2003
	Telephone exchanges can be upgraded for broadband by their owners, or by other telecommunications providers by means of local loop unbundling. In pursuit of its broadband target, the Government is keen to see as many exchanges as possible upgraded for broadband. Nonetheless, decisions on upgrading are a commercial matter for the companies concerned.

WALES

Bechtel

Malcolm Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list the contracts for consultancy and work carried out by Bechtel in each year since 1997, stating in each case (a) the nature of the work, (b) the value of the contract and (c) the duration of the contract; and if he will make a statement.

Don Touhig: holding answer 22 October 2003
	The Wales Office was established in 1999. Bechtel have not been contracted to carry out any consultancy work for the Wales Office since then.

Stamp Duty Land Tax

Mark Prisk: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what assessment he has made of the impact of increases in stamp duty land tax on economic regeneration policies in Wales; and if he will make a statement.

Ruth Kelly: I have been asked to reply.
	The Government has introduced disadvantaged areas relief which provides an exemption from stamp duty land tax for transactions in non-residential land in Enterprise Areas. There are 363 wards in Wales which qualify for this relief, representing the bottom 42 per cent. of areas in the national index of deprivation. The measure provides a major boost to businesses investing in commercial premises in Wales.

TRANSPORT

Air Travel

Francis Maude: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will publish the results of the SPASM computer model run on the assumptions that air travel would by 2030 pay the same rates of tax as those currently applicable to car travel.

Kim Howells: The modelling shows that, with aviation fuel taxed at the same rate as motor vehicle fuel and with VAT imposed on all flights departing from UK airports, the number of passengers using UK airports would rise from 180 million in 2000 to around 315 million in 2030. This assumes that the increase in tax causes the same percentage decrease in demand for air travel.

Air Travel

Francis Maude: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when the responses from the public to the consultation on the Future of Air Transport in the United Kingdom will be made available for public inspection.

Kim Howells: We have received over 400,000 responses to the consultation. These are being analysed, and an index and retrieval system is being developed. We shall make the responses available before the end of this year, except where consultees have explicitly requested confidentiality.
	Responses from some key stakeholders are already in the public domain, and can be viewed on the relevant web sites.

Gatwick Airport

Francis Maude: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport pursuant to the answer of 11 September 2003, Official Report, column 372W, on runway capacity, what the net economic benefit would be from building a new wide spaced runway at Gatwick, counting only benefits to UK residents.

Kim Howells: The net economic benefits, to UK residents only, of building a new wide spaced runway at Gatwick, over and above the benefits from maximum use of existing capacity at south east airports, is approximately £2 billion, assuming all costs and benefits are discounted at 3.5 per cent. from 2000 to 2060. This estimate also takes into account a three year delay in benefits and includes a 44 per cent. increase in costs to reflect the risk in estimating costs for engineering works.

Highways Agency

Mark Todd: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what costs the Highways Agency has borne in dealing with illegal occupations of its land at Foston, Derbyshire in the last 12 months.

David Jamieson: I have asked the Acting Chief Executive of the Highway's Agency, Mr. Stephen Hickey, to write to my hon. Friend.
	Letter from Stephen Hickey to Mr. Mark Todd, dated 3 November 2003
	The Transport Minister, David Jamieson, has asked me to reply to your recent Parliamentary Questions asking what costs have been incurred in dealing with illegal occupation of land at Foston, Derbyshire, in the last 12 months.
	The total cost is not yet known as the Agency have not yet had the site cleared and have not received all invoices for the legal costs.
	To date they have incurred Solicitors fees of £3559. This figure will rise as they had to apply to Derbyshire County Court for a Writ of Restitution to enforce the earlier eviction notice.
	The total cost of securing the site with concrete blocks is £1,800, the blocks will remain following the site clearance until the land is tenanted.
	We are working closely with the Environment Agency to ensure that the land is thoroughly cleared of any debris. It is estimated that the clearance of the land will cost approx £24,000.

Piracy

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many British registered ships have been the subject of attack by pirates in each half year for the last five years; in which areas of the world these attacks have taken place; what the cost in (a) human, (b) freight and (c) shipping terms has been; and what steps he is taking to deal with the problem.

David Jamieson: The number of British registered ships that have been the subject of attack by pirates since 1998, and the areas of the world where these attacks have taken place, are as follows:
	
		
			  January to June July to December 
		
		
			 1998   
			 Americas 3 — 
			 Indian Sub-Continent 1 — 
			 South East Asia — 2 
			
			 1999   
			 South East Asia — 1 
			 South America 1 1 
			
			 2000   
			 Africa 1 — 
			 Americas — 2 
			 Far East — 1 
			 South East Asia 1 2 
			
			 2001   
			 Indian Sub-Continent 1 — 
			 South East Asia 1 2 
			
			 2002   
			 Africa 3 1 
			 Americas 1 3 
			 Far East 2 — 
			 Indian Sub-Continent 1 1 
			 South East Asia 3 2 
			
			 2003   
			 Africa 2 — 
			 Americas 2 — 
			 Far East 1 — 
			 South East Asia 4 — 
		
	
	Note:
	These figures are for the British Fleet, and include the United Kingdom, Crown Dependencies and Dependent Territories combined fleets.
	There have been no reported instances of any seafarers being killed on a British ship during the period, and no British ships have been stolen. Ship equipment, stores, personal effects and cash have been stolen during attacks but an exact inventory is not held centrally.
	Concerted action by the international community is the key to addressing the problem. The UK has participated in several counter piracy seminars in "hotspot" areas, has prepared and issued Codes of Practice for the investigation of piracy incidents and the registration of "phantom" (stolen) ships, and raised the matter at international events, including the United Nations General Assembly.
	The UK Government meet the maritime industry on a regular basis to discuss how best the UK can continue to help tackle the problem of piracy. In November 2002 revised counter piracy advice was re-issued to all UK seafarers, and we have also issued advice on measures and equipment to assist ship operators.
	The new IMO requirements for ships to have internationally agreed security measures in place by July 2004 will also help to protect them from piracy attacks.

Road Safety (Child Pedestrians)

Christopher Chope: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many child pedestrians were injured on roads, broken down by local highway authority, in each of the last three years.

David Jamieson: The information requested has been placed in the Libraries of the House.

Vehicle Licensing

Barry Gardiner: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what procedures are in place at the DVLA to stop documents being stolen when they are being returned to the DVLA because the addressees have moved.

David Jamieson: DVLA expects to issue approximately 16 million vehicle registration documents and over six million driving licences this year. On past experience, less than half of 1 per cent. of this (around 110,000 items) mail will be found by Royal Mail to be undeliverable and will be returned to the Agency.
	Undelivered mail is opened under secure conditions at DVLA and the contents dealt with according to strict handling procedures. A check of DVLA records is made to compare the name and address shown with that provided by the customer. If a contact telephone number is present, the customer is contacted. Where discrepancies are identified, the problem is corrected and documents re-sent. If no error has been made, the documents are held securely for a time to allow the customer to contact the Agency. Where no further contact is received, the documents are destroyed under secure conditions.
	Undelivered identity documents, e.g. passports and birth certificates, are collected by staff from a specific team. Where no address discrepancies are present, these documents are also held securely pending contact from the customer. Where no contact is forthcoming, documents are returned to their issuing authorities, the relevant embassies or to the Home Office as appropriate.

West Coast Main Line

Bill Tynan: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he expects modernisation of the West Coast main line (a) to commence and (b) to be completed.

Tony McNulty: Work to upgrade the West Coast Main Line is already under way. Completion is currently projected by 2007–08.

NORTHERN IRELAND

Delayed Discharges

Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what plans he has to extend the Community Care (Delayed Discharges etc.) Act 2003 to Northern Ireland; what steps he is taking to tackle the issue of delayed discharges from hospitals in Northern Ireland; and if he will make a statement.

Angela Smith: I am not planning to extend the provisions of the Community Care (Delayed Discharges etc.) Act 2003 to Northern Ireland or to introduce equivalent legislation in Northern Ireland. The Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety has made it a requirement on Health and Social Services Boards to invest part of the annual additional allocations for community care services to ensure timely discharge from acute care in hospital. Furthermore the Secretary of State's Draft Priorities and Budget paper, which is currently out for consultation, proposes a new target for the Health and Personal Social Services designed to reduce the maximum waiting time for community care services for people who are medically fit for discharge so that by March 2006 no assessed person should wait for more than eight weeks in an acute hospital, other than in exceptional circumstances.

Loyalist Decommissioning

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on the progress made in decommissioning arms held by Loyalist terrorists.

Jane Kennedy: In 2003 the Loyalist Commission, along with the UDA representatives, met the Independent International Commission on Decommissioning. The Prime Minister has stated clearly that the IICD will resolutely continue to pursue complete decommissioning by all paramilitary organisations, helping to bring about a permanent end to paramilitary activity in all its forms.

Loyalist Decommissioning

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what estimate he has made of the amount of arms and ammunition held by Loyalist terrorists.

Jane Kennedy: Under Part II, Paragraph la of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information "Information whose disclosure would harm national security or defence", it would be inappropriate for the Government to comment as the information requested by the hon. Member is only available from intelligence sources.
	The Government and the Independent International Commission on Decommissioning will resolutely continue to pursue complete decommissioning by all paramilitary organisations in order to bring a complete and permanent end to paramilitary activity in all its forms.

Police (Northern Ireland) Act

Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what the total cost has been of changes brought about by the Police (Northern Ireland) Act 2000; and if he will make a statement.

Jane Kennedy: The Police (Northern Ireland) Act 2000 provides the legislative framework for the implementation of the changes recommended in the report of the Independent Commission on Policing. These include the creation of the Policing Board, the setting up of District Policing Partnerships, changes to the planning arrangements, provisions relating to recruitment and severance, and the legal basis for both the Oversight Commissioner and the RUC GC Foundation. Given the range of direct and indirect costs, it would not be practical to place a specific figure on the total amount incurred as a result of the legislation.

Police Ombudsman

Jeffrey M Donaldson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how much has been spent on the Police Ombudsman's office in Northern Ireland since 6th November.

Jane Kennedy: The Police Ombudsman reports the cost of running her office in each financial year since its formation is as follows:
	
		
			  £ 
		
		
			 2002–02 (4)7,821,378 
			 2003–03 6,858,897 
		
	
	The Police Ombudsman advises that from 1 April to 30 September 2003 the cost of running the office has been £3,104,907.
	1 This figure represents expenditure by Police Ombudsman's Office from its establishment on 6 November 2000 until 31 March 2002.

Provisional IRA

Nigel Dodds: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what his assessment is of the Provisional IRA's capacity to carry out (a) targeting, (b) intimidation and (c) racketeering activities in Northern Ireland.

Jane Kennedy: Under Part II, Paragraph 1a of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information (Information whose disclosure would harm national security or defence), it would be inappropriate for the Government to comment as the information requested by the hon. Gentleman is only available from intelligence sources.
	We now call on all paramilitary organisations to bring a complete and permanent end to paramilitary activity in all its forms.

Research and Development

Roy Beggs: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many (a) successful and (b) unsuccessful applications were received for the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Investment's Research and Development programmes in each of the last three years; and what the total amount was of funding allocated for research and development programmes.

Ian Pearson: Since 1 April 2000 the Innovation, Research and Technology Division of Invest Northern Ireland (and the predecessor agency, the Industrial Research and Technology Unit), supported 1,038 applications and rejected 143 applications for research and development activities. A total of £77,524,907 in grants was offered to successful applicants. Details are provided in the following table.
	
		
			  Successful applications Rejected applications 
		
		
			 2000–01 304 83 
			 2001–02 293 86 
			 2002–03 310 47 
			 2003–04 131 25 
			 Total 1,038 143 
		
	
	(4) As of 21 October 2003

Road Gritting

Nigel Dodds: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will change the decision to reduce the gritting of roads and streets in North Belfast.

John Spellar: I have asked the Chief Executive of Roads Service to write to the hon. Gentleman in response to this question. A copy of the letter will be placed in the Library.

Stamp Duty Land Tax

Mark Prisk: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what assessment he has made of the impact of increases in stamp duty land tax on economic regeneration policies in Northern Ireland; and if he will make a statement.

Ruth Kelly: I have been asked to reply.
	The Government has introduced disadvantaged areas relief which provides an exemption from stamp duty land tax for transactions in non-residential land in Enterprise Areas. There are 237 wards in Northern Ireland which qualify for this relief, representing the bottom 42 per cent. of areas in the national index of deprivation. The measure provides a major boost to businesses investing in commercial premises in Northern Ireland.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

Chagos Islands

Peter Bottomley: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what the nationality and residential status are of the Chagos islanders; who is responsible for their well-being on arrival in the UK; and if he will nominate a Minister to meet hon. Members and concerned county councils to discuss provision of services and their costs for the islanders.

Bill Rammell: By virtue of the British Overseas Territories Act 2002, most Chagossians, together with most of the inhabitants of the other Overseas Territories, became British citizens (as well as Overseas Territories citizens) on the commencement of the Act on 21 May 2002. They thereby acquired the right to enter and take up residence in the UK. As regards their entitlement to state services the Chagossians who have come to the UK have the same rights, and are treated in the same way, as other British citizens coming here from overseas.
	The Chagossians were advised that, on arrival in the UK, they would not automatically be eligible for the whole range of state benefits and that they should therefore have sufficient funds at their disposal to support themselves until they had fulfilled the required habitual residence test.
	Ministers would be pleased to meet hon. Members and concerned county councils, at the appropriate time, to discuss these matters.

Afghanistan

Jonathan Djanogly: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the payment system to poppy growers in Afghanistan (a) last year and (b) this year; which countries met the cost of the system; and how much in sterling each paid; how many growers took part; how much each poppy grower received; and what the take-up rate was.

Bill Rammell: In 2002, the Afghan Government considered it appropriate to offer a one-off programme of compensation payments to opium poppy farmers on the basis that the poppy crop had been planted during the Taliban regime. The UK provided financial assistance worth £21.25 million in order to support the new regime's commitment to tackle drugs production but it was the responsibility of the Afghan authorities to administer the system of payments. We understand from the Afghan authorities that they provided compensation of $1,750 per hectare. Information about the total number of farmers who took part is not available. The Afghan Government estimated that 17,000 hectares of poppy were destroyed.
	In 2003, the Afghan Transitional Authority ran a non-compensated eradication programme through the Province Governors. The UK was not involved in this programme. There has not been any estimate of the amount of poppy destroyed.

Departmental Expenditure (Official Residences)

Howard Flight: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how much the Department spent on (a) maintenance, (b) renovation, (c) council tax and (d) running costs of residential properties used by Ministers and officials in each year since 1997.

Mike O'Brien: In the UK the Foreign and Commonwealth office maintains official residential accommodation for my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary at No 1 Carlton Gardens. The spend each year on (a) maintenance, (b) renovation, (c) council tax and (d) running costs since 1997 is as follows:
	
		£
		
			  1997–98 1998–99 1999–2000 2001–01 2001–02 2002–03 
		
		
			 Maintenance 19,093 3,510 24,561 15,918 1,245 4,089 
			 Renovation 3,354 15,246 — — — — 
			 Council tax 202 325 350 375 410 491 
			 Running costs—rent 15,225 25,180 27,300 54,000 54,000 54,000 
			 Utilities 6,637 8,049 1,620 4,723 5,251 3,971 
			
			 Total 44,511 52,309 53,831 75,016 60,906 62,551 
		
	
	A downward rent review in 1995 resulted in a credit of £46,200 being received for overpaid rent during the 1997–98 period. A rent review in April 2000 resulted in a rate increase.

EU Intergovernmental Conference

Andrew Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the evidential basis used to support the statements in A Constitutional Treaty for the EU: The British Approach to the European Union Inter-governmental Conference, Cm 5934, that (a) outside the EU the UK would have less, not more, control of its economy, (b) the proposed constitution is no more than a tidying-up exercise, (c) the proposed constitution is arguably the most significant development since the foundation of the EEC and (d) the national Governments of member states remain in control.

Denis MacShane: In relation to point (a) the full quotation from the White Paper makes our position clear: "Outside the EU, we would have less, not more, control of our economy—because to continue to trade with the Union, we would still have to be bound by its rules. But we would end up with much less say in shaping them." On point (b), the White Paper does not contain any such statement. On point (c), the White Paper does not say this. My right hon. Friend the Prime Minister comments in his foreword that the enlargement of the EU to 25 member states "will arguably be the most significant development since the foundation of the EEC". Concerning point (d), the White Paper provides the basis for this statement as follows: "The Union's powers clearly derive from the member states; and the draft Treaty preserves the principle that the most important decisions on EU issues are taken, by unanimity, by the Governments of member states."

Great Lakes Region

Lynne Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs pursuant to his Answer of 22 October 2003, Official Report, column 615W, on the Great Lakes Region, what monitoring took place of the Interim Emergency Multinational Force; and what monitoring is taking place of the UN Organisation Mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo Ituri Brigade.

Chris Mullin: The actions of the Interim Emergency Multinational Force (IEMF) was monitored and evaluated by the Political and Security Committee of the EU. The lEMF's operations were also discussed by EU member states.
	The work of the Ituri Brigade of the UN Organisation Mission in the DRC (MONUC) is regularly monitored by the UN's Department of Peacekeeping Operations in New York and by the UN Security Council through regular reporting. MONUC also provides weekly briefings to diplomatic missions in Kinshasa. Representatives from our embassy regularly visit the region and discuss the situation there with the UN Secretary General's Special Representative.

Guantanamo Bay

Anne Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent progress has been made in discussions between the USA and UK Governments regarding the British detainees at Guantanamo Bay; and whether the possibility of repatriation remains under discussion.

Chris Mullin: Discussions between the Government and the US Administration about the British nationals detained at Guantanamo Bay continue. A number of options are still being considered, including the possibility of repatriation.

Iraq

Llew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs from which country the information on Iraq's alleged attempt to procure uranium from Niger was obtained; and whether he has asked that country if its details may be publicly released.

Mike O'Brien: As has been said before in response to questions on this subject, the Government will not identify the source of the information received. The information was passed to the Government in confidence by the Government of another state, and is therefore covered under Exemption 1(c) of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information.
	We did seek authority from the originators to release the information to UN inspectors. This permission was not granted. We subsequently urged the Government concerned to make the information available themselves.

Kosovo

Harry Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what action has been taken to pursue those responsible for the murder in the summer of two Serbian boys by snipers in Kosovo; and if he will make a statement.

Mike O'Brien: My right hon. Friend the Minister of State at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Denis MacShane) issued a press statement on behalf of the Government on 14 August condemning the attack.
	The NATO-led force in Kosovo (K-FOR) and the UN Peacekeeping Mission (UNMIK) immediately launched efforts to pursue those responsible. The Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General (SRSG) established a special investigative team. K-FOR deployed 300 troops, tracker dogs, and increased ground and air patrols. UNMIK police set up mobile reserve units to conduct random vehicle checkpoints, and vehicle and foot patrols targeted with the specific aims of interdicting movement of persons with weapons and checking for criminals.
	The UK fully supports the ongoing efforts of UNMIK Police and K-FOR to find the perpetrators of this terrible attack.

St. Helena

Anthony Steen: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when the last ministerial visit from his Department to St. Helena was; and when the next one will be.

Bill Rammell: St. Helena has never had a visit by a Foreign and Commonwealth Office Minister. There are no current plans for an FCO ministerial visit to the island.

Mr. James Miller

Nick Harvey: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps he is taking to persuade the Israeli Government to disclose to Mrs. Sophy Miller the Israeli Defence Force report into the killing of her husband Mr. James Miller.

Chris Mullin: This issue has been raised with the Israelis on a number of occasions, most recently by my Noble Friend the Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean during her recent visit to Israel. The Israelis explained that the results of the General Command Inquiry will be one of the sources used for the Military Police investigation which we and James' family have been pressing for, and could therefore not be released prematurely. The Military Police investigation is now underway and the Israeli Government have assured us that the full results will be presented to the family.

Somalia

Harold Best: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions the UK Government have had with the leaders of the Somalialand region of Somalia about their aspirations for an independent state.

Chris Mullin: I met with senior members of the Somaliland administration/authorities on 3 October. They referred to Somaliland's aspiration to be an independent state. The UK Government have no plans at present to recognise an independent Somaliland.

Zimbabwe

Andrew Robathan: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps the Government has taken to support independent broadcasters broadcasting to Zimbabwe from outside Zimbabwe.

Chris Mullin: We have made clear our support for strong, independent media reporting on Zimbabwe. The Government works with a variety of civil society and media organisations in and outside Zimbabwe to this end. We do not publish details of our co-operation with such organisations.

Zimbabwe

Andrew Robathan: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he has raised the issue of Zimbabwe with the South African Government during their recent visit to the UK; and if he will make a statement.

Chris Mullin: My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary and I had useful discussions about Zimbabwe with Foreign Minister Zuma and other South African participants in the recent London conference.

Zimbabwe

Andrew Robathan: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make it his policy (a) to unilaterally strengthen sanctions against Zimbabwe and (b) to seek the strengthening of sanctions against Zimbabwe by the EU.

Chris Mullin: We keep our policy on sanctions against Zimbabwe under regular review. We favour multilateral sanctions wherever possible because these have a greater practical impact and send a stronger political signal.
	The EU sanctions on Zimbabwe were imposed in response to serious violations of human rights and the rule of law. The present sanctions expire in February 2004. We and our EU partners will decide then, in the light of the situation in Zimbabwe, whether to maintain or amend the present arrangements.

Zimbabwe

Andrew Robathan: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will press for the extension of EU targeted sanctions on senior Zanu PF officials to include spouses and children.

Mike O'Brien: When EU sanctions against Zimbabwe come up for renewal in February 2004 we and our EU partners will assess whether the Zimbabwe Government continues to engage in serious violations of human rights and of the rule of law. If the EU judges that the situation in Zimbabwe has deteriorated further it may consider extending the sanctions. It would choose to extend them in such a way as to have maximum impact on the decision makers in the Zimbabwe Government. Extending them to relatives of those on the sanctions list (within the limits of other relevant international obligations, for instance the Convention on the Rights of the Child) remains a possibility.

Zimbabwe

Michael Ancram: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs pursuant to his answer of 21 October 2003, Official Report, column 537W, on the Zimbabwe cricket tour, what advice was given to the England and Wales Cricket Board by his Department's officials on the matter of the political situation in Zimbabwe.

Jack Straw: FCO officials have not provided ECB officials with detailed briefing on the current political situation in Zimbabwe. The basic facts about this are in any event in the public domain. The ECB has not requested such a briefing so far in advance of the England cricket team's tour of Zimbabwe which is scheduled for late 2004. FCO officials have informed ECB officials about some key dates coming up in relation to Zimbabwe. They will continue to respond to requests from the ECB and other organisations for information on the political situation inside Zimbabwe and on safety and security issues.

ENVIRONMENT FOOD AND RURAL AFFAIRS

Abandoned Vehicles

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many abandoned cars have been removed by local authorities in England in each of the last five years; and at what estimated cost to public funds.

Elliot Morley: Information on abandoned vehicles was collected for the first time in the Municipal Waste Management Survey covering the financial year 2000–01. Data up to the latest year for which they are available are shown in the following table:
	
		
			 Financial year Number of abandoned vehicles removed Estimated cost (£ million)(5) 
		
		
			 2000–01 230,000 Between 6.9 and 11.5 
			 2001–02 293,000 Between 8.79 and 14.65 
		
	
	(5) Based on estimated disposal costs of between £30 and £50 per vehicle.

Beef Exports

Ian Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the value was of United Kingdom exports of beef to the United States of America in each year since 1997.

Ben Bradshaw: The table shows the value of United Kingdom exports of beef to the United States of America since 1997.
	
		United Kingdom Beef Exports to United States of America
		
			  £ 
		
		
			 1997 6,904 
			 1999 3,175 
			 2000 3,160 
			 2001 13,537 
		
	
	Note:
	There were no UK exports of beef to the United States in the years 1998, 2002 and 2003 (January to July).
	Sources:
	1. HM Customs and Excise.
	2. Data prepared by Statistics (Commodities and Food) Consultancy Trade and IT, ESD and Defra.

Beef Exports

Malcolm Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will make a statement on the steps the Government is taking to encourage the resumption of beef exports.

Ben Bradshaw: It has been possible since 1 August 1999 to export UK beef under the stringent rules of the Date-based Export Scheme (DBES). Beef exports resumed in September 2002 following the ending of foot and mouth disease restrictions and changes to the rules of DBES to make it easier for companies to participate. To date there are four slaughterhouses in the Scheme.
	We submitted papers to the European Commission in support of our case for further changes to the DBES and our request for restrictions to be lifted so that the UK can trade on the same basis as other member states in April 2003 and June 2003 respectively. These papers as updated are currently being considered by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA). In addition, we have extended the period of rebates on DBES eligibility checks and Meat Hygiene Service supervision charges until the end of June 2004 for slaughterhouses entering the Scheme before the end of 2003. We have also identified with industry a number of key markets so that lobbying can be targetted effectively.

Common Agricultural Policy

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what plans she has to use regional average payments to implement the Common Agricultural Policy reforms; and if she will make a statement.

Ben Bradshaw: The deadline for responses to our consultation exercise on whether to adopt the regional average payment model of the Single Payment Scheme ended on 24 October 2003. Those responses will help inform our decisions on this matter, which we hope to announce within the next few months.

Departmental Energy Efficiency

Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how much (a) electricity and (b) other energy her Department has used in each year since 1997 (i) in total and (ii) per square metre; what the projected use is for each of the following years for which forecasts are made; what plans she has to reduce usage; and if she will make a statement.

Ben Bradshaw: The answer in respect of parts (a) and (b) parts (i) and (ii) for all Government Departs is shown in the attached table. Due to a number of uncertainties about the future structure of the Department arising from the Review of Rural Delivery and the Independent Review of Public Sector Relocation it is not possible to make accurate estimates of projected energy use in future years.
	A number of measures are in place to reduce energy usage. From 1 November, all new contracts by central government department must meet minimum energy efficiency standards as well as value for money, when purchasing certain types of product. Types of products that must meet energy efficiency criteria include IT equipment, gas boilers, white goods (e.g. fridges and washing machines), televisions, lighting systems and light-bulbs.
	All but the smallest Defra sites work to reducing energy below a site-specific benchmark. Energy audits are regularly commissioned for those above benchmark and remedial action is taken as necessary, On-going energy efficiency awareness campaigns seek co-operation from staff in economy of use.
	In addition, new targets for energy use on the Government Estate are being developed under the Framework for Sustainable Development on the Government Estate. Targets will be based on current Government policy on energy use and Will be published before the end of the year.
	
		
			Weather Corrected(6) EnergyConsumption (GWh) Weather Corrected(6)EnergyConsumption (kWh/m2) 
			 Department Year Floor Area (m(7)) Fossil Electricity Fossil Electricity 
		
		
			 Cabinet Office(7),(8) 1997–98 96,230 16.1 8.1 168 84 
			  1996–99 96,230 12.0 9.3 125 97 
			  1999–2000 96,230 11.9 10.0 124 104 
			  2000–01 65,222 12.4 9.9 190 151 
			  2001–02 126,495 20.7 15.7 164 124 
			 Department of Constitutional Affairs(9) 1997–98 744,310 116.0 66.3 156 89 
			  1996–99 743,200 119.1 67.7 160 91 
			  1999–2000 738,050 102.7 64.4 139 87 
			  2000–01 734,896 101.5 62.5 138 85 
			  2001–02 733,546 84.6 85.1 115 89 
			 Department of Culture, Media and Sport(10) 1997–98   -   
			  1998–99   -   
			  1999–2000 13,270 0.4 3.5 33 261 
			  2000–01 13,270 0.4 3.5 33 261 
			  2001–02 13,270 0.4 3.5 33 261 
			 Department for Education and Skills(11) 1997–98 108,009 12.9 20.1 119 186 
			  1998–99 104,020 10.6 19.3 102 186 
			  1999–2000 105,901 14.7 19.6 139 185 
			  2000–01 102,913 14.7 20.6 143 200 
			  2001–02 102,913 15.9 19.3 155 188 
			 Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs(12) 1997–98 176,715 26.5 15.9 150 90 
			  1998–99 190,424 27.1 17.2 142 90 
			  1999–2000 192,565 23.4 15.8 122 81 
			  2000–01 199,817 24.8 16.9 124 84 
			  2001–02 221,455 31.6 21.1 143 95 
			 Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Laboratories(12) 1997–98 146,205 63.3 31.5 433 216 
			  1998–99 148,198 59.0 30.7 398 207 
			  1999–2000 158,542 61.6 31.9 389 201 
			  2000–01 155,761 80.8 28.3 519 162 
			  2001–02 157,795 91.4 26.4 579 168 
			 Department of Health 1997–98 62,757 7.1 12.3 113 196 
			  1998–99 62,757 9.1 13.4 145 213 
			  1999–2000 62,757 8.8 14.1 140 224 
			  2000–01 62,757 7.2 13.6 116 216 
			  2001–02 62,757 6.4 13.1 103 209 
			 Department for International Development(13) 1997–98 21,608 3.8 3.0 175 141 
			  1998–99 21,608 3.8 3.1 174 144 
			  1999–2000 21,611 44 3.1 205 142 
			  2000–01 23,402 4.5 3.4 194 147 
			  2001–02 21,911 4.2 4.0 194 183 
			 Department of Trade and Industiy(14) 1997–98 256,480 253 30.4 98 118 
			  1996–99 249,320 241 29.6 97 119 
			  1999–2000 255,233 264 30.8 111 121 
			  2000–01 217,829 25.6 33.0 118 152 
			 Department of Transport, Local Government and the Regions(15),(16) (excluding QEII Conference Centre 1997–98 489,563 744 50.3 152 103 
			  1998–99 514,291 644 52.5 125 102 
			  1999–2000 480,728 65.6 51.5 136 107 
			  2000–01 398,306 57.6 50.9 145 128 
			  2001–02 390,457 69.0 54.8 173 137 
			 QEII Conference Centre 1997–98 27,088 44 6.7 163 247 
			  1998–99 27,088 4.7 8.6 174 317 
			  1999–2000 27,081 44 8.1 162 299 
			  2000–01 27,000 45 6.6 166 244 
			  2001–02 27,000 5,6 6.7 206 249 
			 Department for Work and Pensions(17) 1997–98 2,347,775 502.1 237.3 214 101 
			  1998–99 2,221,950 441.4 226.2 199 102 
			  1999–2000 2,268,462 479.1 224.4 211 99 
			  2000–01 2,399,225 436.2 229.7 182 96 
			  2001–02 2,401,337 4456 248.7 186 104 
			 Foreign and Commonwealth Office(18),(19) 1997–98 105,530 236 17.9 224 169 
			  1998–99 105,530 20.0 16.8 190 159 
			  1999–2000 87,307 15.4 17.4 176 199 
			  2000–01 107,071 142 20.2 132 189 
			  2001–02 85,213 152 16.9 178 199 
			 Home Office (excluding Prisons) 1997–98 186,497 485 24.6 260 133 
			  1998–99 193,205 46.2 27.4 239 142 
			  1999–2000 232,655 506 36.2 217 156 
			  2000–01 286,009 603 44.1 211 154 
			  2001–02 332,041 798 50.0 240 151 
			 Prisons(20) 1997–98 2,927,474 1,342.6 240.8 459 82 
			  1998–99 2,644,588 9642 233.6 365 88 
			  1999–2000 3,073,966 1,186.3 268.0 386 87 
			  2000–01 3,111,213 1,112.8 280.4 358 90 
			  2001–02 3,208,001 1,127.9 272.8 352 85 
			 Inland Revenue(21) 1997–98 1,020,692 181,0 87.0 177 85 
			  1998–99 1,275,808 175.5 112.3 138 88 
			  1999–2000 1,145,105 174.9 163.6 153 143 
			  2000–01 1,145,105 1749 163.6 153 143 
			  2001–02 1,582,551 2175 175.2 137 111 
			 Ministry of Defence(22),(23),(24),(25),(26),(27),(28) (excluding Army Overseas other than Germany 1997–98  5,758.6 1,798.1 N/A N/A 
			  1998–99  6,525.7 1,772.7 N/A N/A 
			  1999–2000  5,155.7 1,846.5 N/A N/A 
			  2000–01  4,997.1 1,873.8 N/A N/A 
			  2001–02  4,733.5 1,667.3 N/A N/A 
			 Army Overseas other than Germany(22) 1997–98  
			  1998–99  
			  1999–2000  
			  2000–01  
			  2001–02  85.2 386   
		
	
	Notes:
	(6) All data for fossil/heating energy is weather corrected to the 1990–91 20 year degree day average This is for consistency sincere old campaign was weather corrected to the 1990–91 20 year average and the new campaign to the 1999–00 20 year average. This explains any differences between these figures and those published in the new campaign.
	(7) The Cabinet Office had four agencies transferred out of its control between 1999–2000 and 2000–01
	(8) The Cabinet Office had nine Regional Government Offices transferred to its estate between 2000–01 and 2001–02
	(9) Previously the Lord Chancellor's Department
	(10) The Department for Culture, Media and Sport have inconsistencies in their data for 2000–01 and so 2001–02 was used as their base year for the new campaign. This explains why their figures are the same for 1999–2000 to 2001–02 These inconsistencies also mean it is not meaningful to compare 2001–02 with data prior to 1999–2000
	(11) DFES use some heat that is produced by a CCL exempt source. This has been included with the fossil fuel
	(12) Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs energy performances for the Main Estate and Laboratories in 2001–02 include consumptions from the additional buildings and longer worked hours by staff dealing with the foot and mouth emergency The Main Estate also reflected additional fully air-conditioned buildings as part of a new Agency in DEFRA.
	(13) The Department for International Development moved offices during 2001–02, therefore their floor area for this year has been calculated based on the proportion of the year they were in each office
	(14) The Department for Trade and Industry had 3 Regional Government Offices transferred out of their estate in 2001–02
	(15) The Department for Transport, Local Government and the Regions previously known as Department for the environment, Transport and the Regions.
	(16) The Department for Transport, Local Government and the Regions had six Regional Government Offices transferred out of their estate in 2001–02
	(17) The Department for Work and Pensions is the result of an amalgamation of the Department of Social Security and Employment Services which occurred in full in April 2002. Therefore previous separate returns for the two departments have been added together to allow comparison.
	(18) The Foreign and Commonwealth Office returns for 2000–01 include their Wilton Park executive agency for the first time. This accounts for approximately 4 per cent. of the increase.
	(19) In 2000–01 the Foreign and Commonwealth Office brought back into use the Old Admiralty Building, progressively relocating staff from 8 Cleveland Row, Cromwell House, 1 Palace Street and 20 Victoria Street. It retained reporting responsibilities for the vacated buildings until March 2001.
	(20) It was not possible to report consistently on a small proportion of prisons throughout the three years This was mainly due to missing or incomplete data on those specific prisons.
	(21) Inland Revenue 1999–2000 data was fell to be too inconsistent to be used in the comparison, therefore 2000–01 has been used in its place.
	(22) The Army included energy consumption from overseas bases other than Germany for the first time in 2001–02; therefore this is entered separately
	(23) For the new campaign the financial year 2001–02 is the baseline for the Army and this figure has been applied retrospectively to 1999–2000 and 2000–01 but with energy consumption from 2 sites of the Joint Helicopter Command (Odiham and Benson) removed from the 1999–2000 and 2000–01. This therefore takes into account the fact that these two sites were transferred from the RAF to the Army in April 2001.
	Actual figures for these two sites have been used since they were recorded by the RAF prior to their transfer, hence the Army retrospective figure is not the same across these three years.
	(24) The Civil estate of the MOD figures do not include the London offices, with the exception of 3–5 Scotland Yard This is due to difficulties in obtaining the data as these buildings are run under PFI contracts.
	(25) The civil estate of the MOD have not been able to provide figures prior to 2001–02, therefore this is being used in previous years to allow comparisons 1997–98 and 1998–99 have been entered using figures from the last year the Civil estate completed a return
	(26) Defence Logistics Organisation were not in existence prior to 2000–01, therefore the figures for 2000–01 have been used in 1999–2000 to allow comparison
	(27) In July 2001 the Defence Research Agency was split into DSTL and a private company, QinetiQ Therefore since July 2001 consumption in buildings used by QinetiQ have not been included
	(28) The RAF have made significant savings in 2001–02 in part due to the transfer of two Joint Helicopter Command sites (Odiham and Benson) to the Army in April 2001

Environmental Targets

Bill Wiggin: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what targets the Government have set for (a) energy efficiency in the UK, (b) waste minimisation, (c) marine pollution, (d) air quality, (e) climate change, (f) renewable energy, (g) fly-tipping, (h) packaging, (i) end of life vehicles, (j) the disposal of hazardous waste, (k) incineration, (l) recycling, (m) water quality, (n) coastal erosion, (o) fuel poverty, (p) flood defence, (q) wind power use, (r) domestic waste management, (s) industrial waste management, (t) landfill, (u) greenhouse gas emissions and (v) timber procurement.

Elliot Morley: Government's targets and goals include the following:
	On climate change, greenhouse gas emissions, and energy efficiency (e, u, a), the UK Climate Change Programme is designed to deliver our Kyoto Protocol target to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to 12.5 per cent. below 1990 levels by 2008–12, as well as set us on a path towards our domestic goal of a 20 per cent. reduction in carbon emissions by 2010. The Government stated in the Energy White Paper our expectation for more than half the emissions reductions in the Programme to come from energy efficiency. In the White Paper, the Government also accepted the Royal Commission on Environmental Pollution's recommendation that the UK should put itself on a path towards a reduction in carbon dioxide emissions of some 60 per cent. from current levels by about 2050.
	For renewable energy and wind power use (f, q) the Government's aim is that by 2010, 10 per cent. of the UK's electricity should be supplied from renewable sources and our aspiration is that by 2020, to double renewables' share of electricity from our 2010 target. There are currently no specific targets for particular forms of renewable energy such as wind power.
	On fuel poverty (o) the goal of the Government and Devolved Administrations is the eradication of fuel poverty as far as reasonably practicable by 2016–18, and in England and Wales for vulnerable households by 2010. In addition, in England we have a target to reduce fuel poverty among vulnerable households by improving the energy efficiency of 600,000 homes between 2001 and 2004.
	For domestic waste management, recycling and landfill (l, r, t) the targets are to recycle or compost 17 per cent. of household waste by 2003–04 and 25 per cent. by 2005–06 and, from the Landfill Directive, by 2010 to reduce biodegradable municipal waste landfilled to 75 per cent. of that produced in 1995; by 2013 to 50 per cent. and by 2020 to 35 per cent.
	For waste minimisation and incineration (b, k) there are no set targets, but Government policy is to drive waste management up the waste hierarchy; this hierarchy has landfill at the bottom and minimisation at the top.
	For packaging (h), current (2002 and 2003) targets are 59 per cent. for recovery and 19 per cent. for material-specific recycling. A consultation on targets for 2004–08 has just closed.
	For the disposal of hazardous waste and industrial waste (j, s), the Waste Strategy 2000 set a target to reduce the amount of industrial and commercial waste sent to landfill to 85 per cent. of the 1998 level by 2005. This target includes hazardous waste.
	On end of life vehicles, the End of Life Vehicles Directive has not yet entered into force in the UK. The main targets will be 85 per cent. of all ELVs reused or recovered and 80 per cent. reused or recycled by January 2006, rising to 95 per cent. reused or recovered and 85 per cent. reused or recycled in 2015.
	There are currently no targets for fly-tipping (g).
	For air quality (d), the Air Quality Strategy sets targets for carbon monoxide, lead, nitrogen dioxide, particles, sulphur dioxide, benzene and 1,3-butadiene.
	For water quality (m), the Government has targets that at least 91 per cent. of English rivers achieve their river quality targets by 2005; and that at least 97 per cent. of bathing waters in England meet the mandatory coliform standards in the 2005 bathing season.
	For marine pollution (c), the targets for reducing and eliminating marine pollution are generally those set out in the strategies on hazardous substances, radioactive substances and eutrophication agreed in the OSPAR Convention for the Protection of the Marine Environment of the North East Atlantic and relevant EC Directives.
	For coastal erosion and flood defence (n, p), targets are to aim, by the encouragement of sustainable defence measures (including timely and effective flood warning systems), to have no loss of life through flooding; and by investing £397 million over the Spending Review period (2003–06), to reduce the risk of flooding to life, to major infrastructure, environment assets and to some 80,000 houses.
	On timber procurement (v) the UK Government are committed to, seek to procure products made from timber that has been legally felled and grown in a forest or plantation managed to sustain biodiversity, productivity, vitality and to prevent harm to other ecosystems and indigenous or forest dependent people. Targets for sustainable public procurement will be published in early 2004 as part of the Framework for Sustainable Development on the Government Estate.

Farm Values

Paul Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what changes have taken place in the last three years in the value of (a) farmland and (b) farms and farm buildings.

Ben Bradshaw: Estimates are available only for the value, in the UK, of farm land and farm buildings combined. Statistics are also available on the average price of sales of farm land in England. The following tables show the most recent available data for each, in current and real terms (1995 prices).
	
		Value of 'farm land and buildings' in the UK -- £ million
		
			  Current prices 1995 prices  
		
		
			 1999 90,784 81,837 
			 2000 92,767 81,218 
			 2001 96,539 83,011 
			 2002(29) n/a n/a 
		
	
	(29) Figures for 2002 will be published in "Agriculture in the United Kingdom" in March 2004
	
		Annual average price(30) of agricultural land sold in England -- £ per hectare
		
			  Current prices 1995 prices 
		
		
			 1999 6,652 5,994 
			 2000 7,057 6,177 
			 2001 7,328 6,299 
			 2002 6,956 5,884 
		
	
	(30) Provisional

Fisheries

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will estimate the amounts of each fish species removed by fishing vessels other than those registered in the UK from each of the statistical fishing regions which fall within the UK's national waters, in each of the past five years.

Ben Bradshaw: The information requested is available from data submitted by Member States and others to the European Commission on their landings offish from the ICES Divisions that surround the UK coast (Divisions IV, VI and VII), and a copy of results has been placed in the House of Commons Library.

GM Crops

Alan Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs in relation to the farm scale evaluations of GM crops (a) which herbicides were used in the maize trials and whether these will continue to be legally available to farmers, (b) who was responsible for the independent measurement of maize yields and herbicide inputs and (c) whether comparisons between GM and non-GM maize yields were of crops using identical herbicide use.

Elliot Morley: All of the herbicides used in the GM crop farm-scale evaluations, both on the GM crops and the non-GM equivalents, are listed in full in the scientific papers published on 16 October 2003 (see Champion et al. 2003; "Crop management and agronomic context of the farm scale evaluations of genetically modified herbicide tolerant crops'"; Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society (B). 358 (1439): 1801–1818. A copy of this journal has been placed in the Library. Three herbicides used in the maize trials have been withdrawn as part of the EU review programme of pesticide active ingredients. The herbicides Atrazine and Simazine can be used for a further 18 months. Cyanazine can be used until the end of December 2003.
	The independent research team carrying out the evaluations audited the herbicide use by the farmers and monitored growth stages of the crops to compare yields. They concluded that the trials were conducted fairly. This approach and conclusion was endorsed by the independent Scientific Steering Committee and again independently assessed and by the journal referees; see Champion et al. 2003 for more details.
	Comparisons were not made using identical herbicide regimes as the purpose of the trials was specifically to assess the impact on wildlife of the different herbicide regimes used on the GM and non-GM crops.

GM Crops

Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will list (a) Government-commissioned research and inquiries, (b) peer-reviewed research undertaken by others, (c) non-peer-reviewed research undertaken by others and (d) other information or sources of data upon which her Department will draw in making its decisions on the licensing of GM crops; and if she will set out for each item of work commissioned by her Department the date on which it was (i) commissioned and (ii) placed or expected to be placed in the public domain.

Elliot Morley: An application for consent to grow a GM crop must be supported by a dossier of information about the particular GM crop, its properties and behaviour. In considering whether to license a particular Genetically Modified Organism for release in the UK my Department seeks the advice of the Government's statutory advisers on the release of GMOs—The Advisory Committee on Releases to the Environment (ACRE). In making advice ACRE will consider the application and any available relevant information on the implications of the proposed release. This will include relevant data or literature whether commissioned by the Government or by others, and whether peer reviewed or not peer reviewed.
	Details of Government-commissioned GMO related research work are available on our website at www. defra.gov.uk/environment/gm/research. This includes details of completed projects and links to download or order any published reports. In addition to those projects listed on the website the following table shows other Defra funded research projects currently under way and indicates when they are expected to be published.
	The volume of GMO related work published by others, either in peer-reviewed or non-peer reviewed publications, is vast and continually growing. The body of literature was recently reviewed by the GM Science Review Panel as part of the GM Dialogue, and their final report is available at www.gmsciencedebate. org.uk. This report has been made available to ACRE. In addition ACRE members are kept informed of any new publications as and when they appear.
	
		
			 Defra research project Due for publication 
		
		
			 Modelling effects of herbicide and insecticide management December 2003 
			 Biodiversity effects of management associated with GM cropping systems December 2003 
			 Monitoring movement of herbicide resistance genes from farm scale evaluation field sites to populations of wild crop relatives. December 2003 
			 Gene Flow Monitoring from the FSE sites: Monitoring Gene Flow from the GM Crop to Non-GM Equivalent Crops in the Vicinity. Part 2: Oilseed Rape. November 2003 
			 The Potential Value of the FSE sites to assess the impact of GMHT crops on birds November 2003

GM Crops

Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when the Agriculture and Environment Biotechnology Commission report on co-existence and liability of GM and non-GM seeds and crops will be published.

Elliot Morley: We expect this report to be published by the end of November.

GM Crops

Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what discussions she has had with representatives of the organic farming and growing sectors on (a) co-existence with GM crops and (b) liability for cross-contamination of GM crops.

Elliot Morley: Defra Ministers and officials have had many discussions on GM crops with representatives of the organic sector. For example, the co-existence of GM and organic crops was considered at a meeting of the Organic Action Plan Group chaired by my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Secretary (Commons), on 17 September 2003, and I had a meeting on 29 October 2003 with several organic groups to hear their views on GM issues.

GM Crops

Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will make a statement on the weight she will give to the results of the GM Nation consultation exercise in making decisions on the future use of GM biotechnology.

Elliot Morley: GM biotechnology has a wide range of current and potential applications, for example, in the areas of health care, medicines, genomics, animal and plant health, food and agriculture. The results of the GM Nation? exercise will help to inform us in making policy decisions in these areas.

Magnox Power Stations

David Chaytor: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when she will announce her decision on the Environment Agency's proposed decision on the Magnox power stations; and whether the continued operation of the Magnox stations is justified in accordance with the requirements of European law (Article 6 of Council Directive 96/29/Euratom).

Elliot Morley: An announcement will be made as soon as possible.

GM Inspectorate

Michael Meacher: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many persons are employed in the GM Inspectorate in terms of (a) individuals and (b) whole-time equivalents; what the figures were in each of the last five years; what the total staff cost was in each of those years; what their functions were; and what assessment she has made of the achievements of the staff of the Inspectorate.

Elliot Morley: The Defra GM Inspectorate comprises inspectors based at the Central Science Laboratory and at the Health and Safety Executive (HSE). Prior to 2000 all the work was carried out by HSE inspectors. Details of staff numbers and costs for the last five years are in the table.
	
		
			  HSE CSL 
			  Staff Whole-time equivalents (staff years) Costs (£) Staff Whole-time equivalents (staff years) Costs (£) 
		
		
			 1998–99 4 0.7 105,000 N/A N/A N/A 
			 1999–00 4 1.1 76,434 N/A N/A N/A 
			 2000–01 5 0.35 52,000 5 0.97 95,116 
			 2001–02 5 0.2 21,600 5 3.10 222,490 
			 2002–03 6 0.3 33,670 5 2.04 237,849 
			 2003–04 5 0.76 — 4 3.71 — 
		
	
	The functions of the GM Inspectorate at CSL are primarily to monitor compliance in England and Wales with consents issued under Directive 2001/18 on the deliberate release of genetically modified organisms (GMOs) both for placing on the market of GMOs as or in products (Part C) and for any other purpose (Part B) and to ensure that the provisions of the Environmental Protection Act 1990 and related legislation are adhered to. The Inspectorate also conducts research to underpin its forensic work, and maintains links with inspectors elsewhere in the UK and throughout the EU.
	The Inspectorate at HSE reports on the environmental aspects of contained uses of GMOs (other than GM micro-organisms) in England, Scotland and Wales, under the Environmental Protection Act 1990 and related legislation and monitors compliance with consents issued under Part B of Directive 2001/18 for clinical trials of GMOs.
	The number of inspectors deployed reflects the numbers of consents and releases to be monitored, this varies from year to year. For example there are currently no GM crop trials taking place but there were over 120 crop trials in 2002.
	The Inspectorates' performance is regularly monitored. A measure of their achievement is that there has been no evidence of harm to the environment from GM crop releases or from GMOs kept under contained use conditions. The Inspectorate at CSL publishes an annual report.

Noise Nuisance

Huw Edwards: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will bring forward proposals to amend the statutory noise nuisance provisions of the Environmental Protection Act 1990 to include excessive noise from cars driven off road on public open spaces.

Ben Bradshaw: The Government see no need to amend the existing provisions under the Environmental Protection Act 1990 which could be used to abate excessive noise from cars driven off road on public open spaces. Police lead on this issue as they have a wide range of relevant powers, and unlike local authority officers, are able to pursue offenders across ground.
	From 1 January 2003 the police have new powers under sections 59 and 60 of the Police Reform Act 2002 to seize vehicles, which are being driven in a careless and inconsiderate manner, and in a way which causes alarm, distress or annoyance.

Radioactive Waste ManagementAdvisory Committee

David Chaytor: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when she expects to receive the Radioactive Waste Management Advisory Committee's Annual Report.

Elliot Morley: The Annual Report of the Radioactive Waste Management Advisory Committee for 2002–03 is likely to be submitted formally to the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, and to her Ministerial colleagues in the Devolved Administrations for Scotland and for Wales, in the latter part of November. It will be made public at the same time.

Regional Producers Ltd. (Wiltshire)

James Gray: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what Government support has been given in the last three years to Regional Producers Ltd. (Wiltshire); and what recent discussions she has held with Regional Producers Ltd. (Wiltshire) about their future viability.

Ben Bradshaw: Regional Producers Ltd. (Wiltshire) was set up using funding from Business Link for Berkshire and Wiltshire and the South West of England Regional Development Agency. The Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs has had no discussions with Regional Producers Ltd. (Wiltshire) about their viability.

Renewable Energy

John Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what proportion of biofuel sold in the United Kingdom was recycled cooking oil in the last year for which figures are available.

Ben Bradshaw: Currently, half of the two million litres of biodiesel sold each month in the UK comes from recycled vegetable oil. The remainder is imported and is manufactured from virgin rape seed oil.

Rural Affairs Forum

James Gray: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many speakers from the private sector will address the Rural Affairs Forum's Conference on Rural Regeneration.

Alun Michael: The purpose of the Rural Affairs Conference is to enable people from every sector of rural interest to engage in a wide-ranging discussion of issues affecting rural communities and to advise the Government. The value of the Conference will derive largely from the discussion and debate among a number of people including Ministers and those with academic, business and public sector expertise. Professor Peter Midmore will offer his perspective on the changing countryside in the 21st century, while breakout groups will involve business representatives and will be led by people including a representative of the Country, Land and Business Association and representative from Co-operatives UK.

Stamp Duty Land Tax

Mark Prisk: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment she has made of the impact of increases in stamp duty land tax on her policy for rural economic regeneration and diversification; and if she will make a statement.

Ruth Kelly: I have been asked to reply.
	The Government has introduced disadvantaged areas relief which provides an exemption from stamp duty land tax for transactions in non-residential land in Enterprise Areas, including some rural areas. This will provide a major boost to businesses investing in commercial premises, including agricultural premises, in those areas.
	In addition the changes I announced on 20 October to the structure for charging Stamp Duty Land Tax on the rental element of new leases will assist small and medium-sized enterprises such as smaller farms.

Surface Water

Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how much was allocated (a) in England and (b) to Essex County Council for surface water alleviation schemes in each of the last five years for which figures are available; how much is allocated in each case in 2003–04; and how much she expects to allocate in each case in 2004–05.

Elliot Morley: Funding for surface water alleviation schemes comes from several different sources.
	Funding for local authority surface water alleviation schemes falls wihtin the Environmental, Protective and Cultural Services part of the local government finance settlement. Environmental, Protective and Cultural Services covers a wide range of services totalling more than £10 billion each year. Within this budget, no specific allocation is made for surface water alleviation schemes, but the proportion attributed on average is very small.
	Defra provides grant aid to the flood and coastal defence operating authorities—the Environment Agency, local authorities and (in areas with special drainage needs) internal drainage boards—to assist with their capital works and related projects and studies to manage the risk of flooding from watercourses and the sea. Grant paid to all authorities in England (in cash terms) is set out as follows. The figures in the table include items such as contributions to the Environment Agency for their work on flood warning including public awareness, catchment flood management plans and the new National Flood and Coastal Defence Database. They exclude supplementary credit approvals for local authorities and grant for projects to manage coastal erosion although significant flood risk benefits often arise from the latter.
	
		
			  £ million 
		
		
			 1998–99 35.0 
			 1999–2000 34.8 
			 2000–01 34.8 
			 2001–02 57.9 
			 2002–03 78.4 
			 2003–04 80.0 
		
	
	For 2004–05 the total allocation is £137 million but the split between flood defence and coastal erosion is still being considered.
	No grant has been paid to Essex County Council although substantial sums have been paid to the Environment Agency and district councils for projects in Essex.
	Highways authorities and water companies also have responsibilities for some types of surface water alleviation schemes.

Coastal Defence

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many coastal defence projects using timber are under way; how much funding her Department has provided for these projects; and what measures have been taken to ensure that this timber is from sustainable sources.

Elliot Morley: holding answer 27 October 2003
	Defra does not collect information on the materials used by operating authorities in coastal defence projects and it would involve disproportionate cost to do so.
	Defra's guidance to operating authorities on the use of resources is that care should always be taken to minimise any detrimental impacts on biodiversity and the wider environment. It is preferable to use resources that are abundant rather than those that are scarce, and to use those resources as efficiently as possible. In addition, where timber is used, Defra encourages operating authorities to obtain tropical and native timbers from certified and sustainable sources.

Timber Procurement

Joan Walley: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what form she plans the central point of expertise on Government timber procurement (CPET) will take; how it will function; and who will staff it.

Elliot Morley: Plans for a central point of expertise on timber (CPET) are not yet finalised. I will make a further statement when the key decisions have been taken.

Timber Procurement

Joan Walley: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what responses her Department received to its consultations on the establishment of a central point of expertise on Government timber procurement regarding what type of central point of expertise on timber procurement should be established; and how she plans to act on these recommendations.

Elliot Morley: The concept of a central point of expertise on timber (CPET) was one of the recommendations made by consultants ERM in their scoping study report published on 6 August 2002. That report was made in the light of consultations with stakeholders, primarily at a meeting on 25 March 2002. A second consultation meeting was held on 2 September 2002 and written comments were received from various interested parties too. A record of the two meetings can be viewed on the Tropical Forest Forum's website at http://www.forestforum.org.uk/tradeb.htm
	The recommendation for a CPET, which was broadly agreed by the stakeholders, suggested that the service could be provided either by a suitably qualified civil servant or by a commissioned service contract to an appropriately qualified consultant. Stakeholders generally held the view that they should be involved in the key decisions taken by a CPET to ensure transparency and a degree of independence.
	Early in 2003 Defra held discussions with potential service providers to discuss how a commissioned service could be set up, how it would operate and what key outputs it would be expected to deliver. Following those discussions Defra has been considering the options available to ensure that the CPET would provide best value for money given the resources available. I will make a further statement when the key decisions have been taken.

Timber Procurement

Joan Walley: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs pursuant to the answer of 1 September 2003, Official Report, column 860W, on timber, what progress has been made in the establishment of a central point of expertise on Government timber procurement (CPET); what funding has been allocated to the CPET; and when the CPET will be operational.

Elliot Morley: Since 1 September the Government have been reviewing options for establishing a central point of expertise on timber (CPET). Decisions on funding will be made when that review is completed and the CPET will be established as soon after that as possible.

CABINET OFFICE

Bechtel

Malcolm Bruce: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office if he will list the contracts for consultancy and other work carried out by Bechtel in each year since 1997, stating in each case (a) the nature of the work, (b) the value of the contract and (c) the duration of the contract; and if he will make a statement.

Douglas Alexander: The Cabinet Office and COI have had no contracts for consultancy and other work with Bechtel since 1997.

DEFENCE

Suez Medal

Laura Moffatt: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the time scale for awarding the Suez medal to veterans.

Ivor Caplin: I am delighted to be able to tell my hon. Friend that the first medals to eligible Suez veterans were presented on 27 October. Over 12,000 applications have been received so far. All medals will be issued as quickly as possible and it is anticipated that over 900 will have been despatched by the end of this week in time for them to be worn on Remembrance Sunday.

Suez Medal

Dari Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when Suez medals will be awarded to veterans.

Ivor Caplin: I am delighted to be able to tell my hon. Friend that the first medals to eligible Suez veterans were presented on 27 October. All medals will be issued as quickly as possible and it is anticipated that over 900 will have been despatched by the end of this week in time for them to be worn on Remembrance Sunday.

Sierra Leone

Claire Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the role of his Department in Sierra Leone.

Adam Ingram: The United Kingdom has played, and continues to play, a prominent role in helping to restore peace in Sierra Leone. We remain committed to help establish a peaceful and stable Sierra Leone which is no longer at risk from internal and external armed conflict. We are also working closely with the Government of Sierra Leone in support of their wider Security Sector Reform programme and in support of the UN mission; UNAMSIL.

Iraq

Ross Cranston: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the current security situation in Iraq.

Geoff Hoon: Although recent attacks in Iraq have received wide coverage, we should not forget that much of the country is remarkably stable. The vast majority of attacks against the coalition are concentrated in a limited area in and to the North West of Baghdad. Coalition forces, under US leadership, are working hard to counter these threats and will not be deflected from that mission. Across the country, meanwhile, increasing numbers of Iraqi police are on patrol, reconstruction continues and normal civil activities are pursued without incident.
	The situation in the British area of responsibility also remains generally calm, although vigilance is still required in the face of occasional incidents.

Iraq

Tom Brake: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the security situation in Iraq.

Geoff Hoon: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave earlier to my hon. Friend the Member for Dudley, North (Ross Cranston).

Iraq

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many Service personnel are deployed in Iraq.

Geoff Hoon: There are currently around 11,000 UK Service personnel serving in Iraq.

Iraq

Elfyn Llwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the total cost is of munitions used by the armed forces in Iraq over the last 12 months; and if he will make a statement.

Adam Ingram: The total cost of operations in Iraq during financial year 2002–03 has been published in the Departmental Resource Accounts for that year. The detailed costs of munitions consumed over the latter part of the last 12 months are still being calculated and I will write to the hon. Member and a copy of my letter will be placed in the Library of the House.

Iraq

Bill Tynan: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what recent assessment he has made of the morale of United Kingdom personnel serving with Headquarters, Combined Joint Task Force, in Baghdad.

Adam Ingram: All Commanders constantly monitor morale as part of their duties. Within the Combined Joint Task Force-7 Headquarters in Baghdad, morale is assessed to be good.

Iraq

Bill Tynan: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what secure rest and relaxation facilities are available to off-duty United Kingdom military personnel in Baghdad.

Adam Ingram: Servicemen in Baghdad are never off-duty, but the Baghdad Support Unit has been specifically set up to provide the support needed by all British Forces in Baghdad. Given the operational circumstances, all personnel are relatively comfortably accommodated. All United Kingdom staff have access to elements of the Operational Welfare Package including internet, welfare phones, radio, TV and sports equipment. Rest and Relaxation (R&R) is taken out of theatre, in either the UK or Germany.

Iraq

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what steps are being taken to reduce the risk to coalition troops of attacks by former Ba'athist elements and other terrorist groups in Iraq.

Adam Ingram: Force Protection is one of the highest priorities for United Kingdom Forces. Commanders on the ground employ appropriate Force Protection measures in accordance with threat assessments. The security situation is under constant review and Commanders adapt protection measures to reflect different circumstances. Coalition partners are responsible for the provision of their own force protection.

Astute Class Submarines

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the progress of the construction of the (a) second and (b) third units of the Astute Class.

Adam Ingram: Construction of the second and third Astute Class submarines is proceeding in accordance with the agreed programme.
	The keel of the second submarine, HMS Ambush, was laid on 22 October 2003 by the Minister for Defence Procurement, at BAE Systems' shipyard at Barrow-in-Furness. Construction is progressing well and we are confident that the same high levels of fabrication quality seen on HMS Astute will be achieved on HMS Ambush.
	Construction of the third boat in the Class, HMS Artful, is underway, with the manufacture of hull rings and bulkheads progressing satisfactorily.

C130 Aircraft

Bernard Jenkin: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what have been the (a) highest and (b) lowest monitored mission readiness rates for RAF C130 aircraft of each type in the past three years.

Adam Ingram: The required Readiness States for C130 Force Elements in each of the last three years have been met.
	As monitored mission readiness rates is not a term with a precise military definition, I have interpreted this as serviceability rates, figures for which arebased on a snapshot of serviceability taken at 8:00 am each day. For the C-130J, these figures start from May 2002, when all aircraft had entered service; for the C-130K, they start from November 2001, as prior to this time a number of aircraft were out of service but awaiting return to Lockheed Martin.
	
		
			  Highest serviceability rate (percentage) Lowestserviceability rate (percentage) 
		
		
			 C-130J 69 46 
			 C-130K 76 37

C130 Aircraft

Bernard Jenkin: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what problems have been experienced with the engines of the RAF's C130J aircraft; and if he will make a statement.

Adam Ingram: The Hercules C-130J aircraft is powered by the Rolls-Royce Allison turbo prop engine. Some problems with the engine turbine blades have been identified when the engine is operated at maximum continuous power for long periods. Work is continuing with Lockheed Martin and Rolls-Royce to identify a solution.

Chartered Airlines

Bernard Jenkin: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence which airlines have been chartered to fly British forces personnel to deployments in each of the past three years.

Adam Ingram: During the past three financial years and during the current financial year to date, British Forces personnel have been deployed on aircraft chartered from the airlines set out below:
	Financial Year 2000–01
	Air 2000
	Air Atlanta
	Air Holland
	Air Mediterranee
	Airtours and Fly Fti
	British Midland
	British World Airways
	Channel Express
	Citybird
	Corsair
	EAAC
	Emerald Airways
	Excel Airways
	Hapag Lloyd
	JMC
	Lauda Air
	Maersk
	Monarch
	Nortwest Airlines
	Prime Airlines
	Royal Brunei
	Sobelair
	Sterling European
	Titan Airways
	Financial Year 2001–2002
	Air 2000
	Air Atlanta
	Air Scandic
	Airtours and Fly Fti
	Britannia
	British Airways
	British World
	Airways
	Channel Express
	Corsair
	Cougar
	EAAC
	Excel Airways
	Lauda Air
	Maersk
	Monarch
	Mytravel
	Prime Airlines
	Royal Brunei
	Titan Airways
	Transavia
	Virgin Express
	Financial Year 2002–2003
	Air 2000
	Air Holland
	Air Luxor
	Astraeus
	Britannia
	British Airways
	Corsair
	EAAC
	Euro Atlantic
	Excel Airways
	JMC
	LTU INT
	Maersk
	Monarch
	Mytravel
	Prime Airlines
	Sobelair
	World Airways
	Yes Linhas Aereas
	Financial Year 2003–2004
	Air 2000
	Air Holland
	Air Luxor
	Air Plus Comet
	Air Scandic
	Britannia
	Condor
	Corsair
	EAAC
	Euro Atlantic
	Excel Airways
	Flyjet
	Lauda Air
	Maersk
	Monarch
	Mytravel
	Sobelair
	Titan Airways
	Yes Linhas Aereas

Civilian Rescues

Greg Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence 
	(1)  how many civilians in non-war situations have been rescued or aided by the British armed forces (a) in the United Kingdom and (b) elsewhere in each of the last five years; and what the total cost to public funds was;
	(2)  what plans he has to recover all or any of the cost of civilian rescues by the armed forces in non-war situations from (a) those rescued and (b) other third parties.

Adam Ingram: The armed forces can rescue or aid civilians in a very wide range of circumstances, both at home and overseas.
	With the exception of the RAF and Royal Navy's Search and Rescue (SAR) effort, information on the numbers of civilians rescued by the armed forces—for example during land-based peace keeping operations, or routine deployments by RN ships at sea—is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
	Although the military SAR teams' primary purpose is to recover aircrew from crashed military aircraft, over 90 per cent. of callouts each year are to civilian incidents. RAF and Royal Navy SAR units make an essential contribution to the search and rescue effort around the UK, forming part of the national UK SAR coverage throughout the year for air, land and maritime operations.
	The following table gives the number of civilians assisted by Armed Forces Search and Rescue Units in the UK and abroad.
	
		Civilians assisted by Armed Forces Search and Rescue Units
		
			  1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 
		
		
			 Co-ordinated by UK RCC(31) 1,137 1,108 1,254 1,134 1,171 
			   
			 Co-ordinated by overseas RCCs(31)
			 Cyprus 21 15 11 3 0 
			 Falklands 24 13 15 13 12 
			   
			 Co-ordinated by other overseas units 1 0 0 0 0 
		
	
	(31) RCC—Rescue Co-ordination Centre
	MOD policy on charging is based on Chapter 23 of "Government Accounting" (GA). Goods and services provided to the department or other agency or authority having policy and therefore financial responsibility should be charged for unless there are exceptional circumstances.
	In 2001 MOD simplified its charging regime in the UK for MACC assistance, allowing emergency assistance to be given free where there is a danger to life (rather than only "immediate" danger which applied previously), and at full cost once the danger has passed. Emergency MACC is a rapid response by the Services to sudden disaster. Search and rescue tasks in support of the UK Ambulance Authorities for Medevac transfers, attract a charge at the "no-loss cost" rate, that is levied by the MOD to recover its out of pocket expenses. The basis for other charges for search and rescue tasks is currently under review.
	It is not possible to provide detailed information on the costs charged for Military Aid to the Civil Community (MACC). Costs of individual operations are by and large reimbursed direct to the budgets which incurred the costs.

Courts Martial (Scotland)

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the court martial trials conducted in Scotland since 1997; how many of these concluded in conviction of the accused; how many were dismissed; and if he will make a statement.

Ivor Caplin: The number of Service personnel tried by Courts-Martial held in Scotland since 1997 together with the number of convictions, acquittals and subsequent dismissals from the armed forces are as follows:
	
		
			  Service personnel tried Convictions Subsequent dismissal Acquittals 
		
		
			 1997(32) 17 17 3 0 
			 1998 22 17 6 5 
			 1999 21 18 7 3 
			 2000 14 11 2 3 
			 2001 13 12 3 1 
			 2002 16 12 6 4 
			 2003 11 8 0 3 
		
	
	(32) RAF figures cover the period 1 April to 31 December 1997.
	These figures do not indicate the number of offences committed in Scotland. The majority of cases are heard in permanent court centres, of which there is none in Scotland.

Cyprus

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what his (a) policy is and (b) procedures are in place for British (i) forces personnel and (ii) employees from the Sovereign base areas visiting the occupied areas of Cyprus.

Adam Ingram: British Forces Cyprus Service Personnel, UK Based Civilians, authorised UK Officials and their dependants and specified close relatives are permitted to visit Northern Cyprus. Such personnel either cross as tourists or on passes arranged by the British High Commission. The procedures for issuing passes remain under review in the light of on-going political developments affecting the island.

Defence Spending

Kevin Brennan: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what estimate he has made of defence spending per capita in each of the home countries of the United Kingdom in 2003–04.

Adam Ingram: The Defence Aim is to deliver security for the people of the United Kingdom and the Overseas Territories by defending them, including against terrorism; and to act as a force for good by strengthening international peace and stability. We do this by providing a world-class national capability—not a specifically regional one. No estimate of the nature suggested has therefore been made.

Separated Service

David Stewart: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the frequency of detached duties for (a) medical staff, (b) RAF regiment personnel and (c) catering staff.

Adam Ingram: The Naval Service has introduced a maximum limit for separated service for junior rates of 660 days in a rolling three-year period, and to date, no-one has exceeded this limit. While Royal Navy medics and chefs are examples of current shortage categories and some personnel are stretched, the aim is that this will be balanced out over a three-year period.
	The Army introduced Separated Service recording in December 2002, but will not have sufficiently mature information for release until mid-2004, by when there will have been a minimum of 12 months data for analysis. Information on the frequency of detached duties for medical staff is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost. For catering staff, chefs are embedded in every deployable Army unit and again specific details on individuals are not held centrally.
	The RAF introduced a Separated Service (SS) recording system on 1 April 1997 to monitor the amount of time personnel spend on detached duty. The levels of Separated Service 1 for operational reasons, from September 2002 to August 2003 for medical staff, RAF regiment personnel and catering staff were as follows:
	1 An incidence of Separated Service is recorded when an individual is absent from their parent unit for three nights or more.
	
		
			Branch/trade(33) 
			  Medical RAF regiment Catering 
		
		
			  Less than 90 days  
			 Number 417 832 411 
			 Percentage 30.3 40.1 31.7 
			 90 to 139 days
			 Number 158 486 230 
			 Percentage 11.5 23.7 17.8 
			 Over 140 days
			 Number 27 188 42 
			 Percentage 1.9 9.2 3.2 
		
	
	(33) All figures include officers and other ranks.

European Rapid Reaction Force

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what recent discussions he has had with his EU counterparts on the European Rapid Reaction Force; and if he will make a statement.

Geoff Hoon: There is no European Army or standing European Rapid Reaction Force nor any EU agreement to create one. Forces are offered by EU Member states for EU crisis management operations on a voluntary, case-by-case basis. This is no different from the arrangements for NATO crisis management operations. Member states have, however, set themselves a Headline Goal to be able to deploy within 60 days, and sustain for at least one year, some 50–60,000 personnel on crisis management operations including smaller rapid response elements available and deployable at very high readiness. I discussed the improvement of European military capabilities, in particular the creation of a European Defence Agency for capability development, with my EU counterparts at the Informal meeting of EU Defence Ministers in Rome on 3–4 October.

Hawk 128

Lindsay Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the capability the Hawk 128 Advanced Jet Trainer will give the RAF to train pilots for the (a) Eurofighter Typhoon and (b) Joint Strike Fighter.

Adam Ingram: The Hawk 128 will provide RAF and Royal Navy pilots with a modern and highly capable training aircraft. This will ensure our future pilots are capable of meeting the demands of the next generation of highly capable frontline aircraft, such as Typhoon and Joint Strike Fighter.

HMS Cambeltown

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when his Department (a) will publish the report into HMS Cambeltown running aground in 2001 and (b) expects to announce the costs of (i) recovery and (ii) repair; and if he will make a statement.

Adam Ingram: I will write to the hon. Member and a copy of my letter will be placed in the Library of the House.

Infantry Battalions

Alistair Carmichael: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans he has (a) to disband and (b) to amalgamate Army infantry battalions.

Adam Ingram: There is a continuing need to assess force structures in order to ensure that we have the balanced, flexible forces needed to meet the full range of operational contingencies. However, there are currently no plans to disband or amalgamate Army infantry battalions, nor are there plans to reduce the current overall strength of the Army. The White Paper to be published later this year will provide an updated statement of defence policy.

JTIDS Capability

Bernard Jenkin: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence which aircraft are fielded with joint tactical information and distribution system capability; what other types of aircraft will receive JTIDS capability; and when it will be installed in each type.

Adam Ingram: The Joint Tactical Information and Distribution System (JTIDS) is operational on the following types of UK aircraft: Sentry E-3D, Tornado F3, Nimrod R, VC10 and Tristar Tanker aircraft and Sea King AEW. It is also being fitted on Typhoon, Nimrod MRA4 and Sentinel R Mkl. Installation is planned on Future Strategic Tanker Aircraft in 2005, Tornado GR4 and Harrier GR9 in 2006, A400M in 2007 and Joint Combat Aircraft in 2010. These dates can be up to two years before in service date to allow for integration and acceptance. Other future aircraft types are also expected to be fitted with this capability.

Low Flying

Gordon Prentice: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many complaints he has received of low flying by RAF fast jets in each year since 2000.

Ivor Caplin: The number of complaints received by the Ministry of Defence Lower Airspace Complaints and Enquiries Unit for low flying by RAF fast jets over the last four calendar years was as follows:
	
		
			  Number of complaints 
		
		
			 2000 2,699 
			 2001 2,612 
			 2002 3,009 
			 2003 (34)2,735 
		
	
	(34) Up to end September.

Mutual Defence Agreement

Alan Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the joint working groups since 1997 conducted under the auspices of the 1958 Mutual Defence Agreement.

Ivor Caplin: Joint Working Groups conducted since 1997 under the auspices of the 1958 Mutual Defence Agreement have exchanged technical information on the following subjects:
	Radiation Simulation and Kinetic Effects Technology
	Energetic Materials
	Nuclear Materials
	Warhead Electrical Components and Technologies
	Non-nuclear Materials
	Nuclear Counter Terrorism Technology
	Facilities
	Nuclear Weapons Engineering
	Nuclear Warhead Physics
	Computational Technology
	Aircraft, Missile and Space System Hardening
	Laboratory Plasma Physics
	Manufacturing Practices
	Nuclear Warhead Accident Response Technology
	Nuclear Weapon Code Development
	Nuclear Weapon Environment and Damage Effects
	Methodologies for Nuclear Weapon Safety Assurance

Nuclear Weapons

Paul Keetch: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what his Department's assessment is of the implications for the long-term future effectiveness of the United Kingdom's nuclear weapons of the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty.

Geoff Hoon: As was made clear in the Strategic Defence Review, Supporting Essay Five, Chapter 14, we will, for as long as Britain has nuclear forces, ensure that we have a robust capability at the Atomic Weapons Establishment to underwrite the safety and reliability of our nuclear warheads, without recourse to nuclear weapon test explosions or any other nuclear explosion. This approach is consistent with our continued support for the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty.

Piracy

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the contribution that his Department is making to tackling piracy on the high seas.

Adam Ingram: The Ministry of Defence acts in concert with the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and the Department for Transport in seeking to tackle both piracy on the high seas, and maritime armed crime, which takes place in states' territorial waters. The Defence Intelligence Staff is actively engaged with national and international defence intelligence and maritime security communities, as well as commercial shipping and other organisations, to promote wider awareness, understanding, and co-operation in dealing with this growing world wide problem. The Defence Intelligence Staff also produces reports and analyses, including the "Worldwide Threat To Shipping", published on the World Wide Web at http://www. rnreference.mod.uk.
	In addition, under international law, the Royal Navy, like all other navies, is obliged to render assistance to other mariners. The RN deploys ships worldwide on a range of tasks, and in the event that a RN ship encounters a clearly defined case of piracy on the high seas, RN policy is to counter the incident and arrest those responsible in accordance with the appropriate rules of engagement. Commanding Officers on all RN ships are given guidance on the threat, and on recommended courses of action. Responses to individual incidents of maritime armed crime in territorial waters are a matter for the State which holds jurisdiction.

Private Alison Croft

Kevin McNamara: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the principal recommendations of the Board of Inquiry Report on the death of Private Alison Croft at Dalton Barracks in Abingdon, Oxfordshire, on 28 September 2002 were; when the Board was convened; when it was completed; and for how many hours it sat.

Adam Ingram: The Board of Inquiry will not be convened until the Oxfordshire Coroner's inquest has ruled.

Private William Graham

Kevin McNamara: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the rank and regiment of officers provided legal representation for Private William Graham following the fatal shooting of Private Anthony Green.

Adam Ingram: A civilian lawyer provided legal representation.

Procurement

Vincent Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence 
	(1)  on which occasions since 1997 procurement decisions have been taken on the basis of criteria other than value for money; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  what studies have been commissioned by the Deputy Chief of the Defence Staff (Equipment Capability) on the value for money of domestic procurement; and if he will make a statement.

Adam Ingram: Information derived from all individual procurement decisions taken throughout the Department, of which there are many thousands each year, is not held centrally and could only be provided at disproportionate cost.
	However, value for money is a fundamental factor in all our procurement decisions . In assessing value for money we take account of the long term implications of decisions, including their industrial and wider economic impact. As set out in the Government's Defence Industrial Policy we seek to maximise the economic benefit to the UK from our defence expenditure, a healthy and globally competitive defence industry and the development of a high value technologically-skilled industrial base, consistent with the Governments wider manufacturing strategy.

QinetiQ

Michael Spicer: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans QinetiQ has for its future operations at Defford in Worcestershire.

Ivor Caplin: holding answer 30 October 2003
	The Ministry of Defence retains a business interest in the Defford site and is discussing the future of the facilities there with QinetiQ.

Saudi Arabia

Norman Lamb: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the (a) role and (b) activities of his Department's Saudi Arabian project office.

Adam Ingram: holding answer 20 October 2003
	The Director General of the Saudi Armed Forces Project (DGSAP) and his staff are responsible for fulfilling the Ministry of Defence's obligations under Government-to-Government arrangements with Saudi Arabia covering the supply of military aircraft, naval vessels, weapons and associated support services, commonly known as the Al Yamamah Programme (AY). In this role, DGSAP officials are involved in the negotiation of the AY contracts, the monitoring of the programme, prime contractor performance in respect of the delivery of goods and services to the Saudi Armed Forces, and, when satisfied, the endorsement of claims made in accordance with the terms of the AY contracts for payment by the Saudi Government. In pursuit of these activities DGSAP staff are based both in the United Kingdom and Saudi Arabia.

Saudi Arabia

Harry Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence 
	(1)  what reports he received regarding improper practices in relation to BAE Systems' (a) operations in, and (b) contracts with, Saudi Arabia; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  what discussions he had with the Serious Fraud Office in relation to BAE Systems' (a) operations in, and (b) contracts with, Saudi Arabia; and if he will make a statement;

Norman Lamb: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence 
	(1)  when the Permanent Secretary or other officials (a) first received and (b) first read the papers sent by the Serious Fraud Office on 8 March 2001 in respect of allegations against British Aerospace/BAE Systems and Robert Lee International;
	(2)  whether the contents of the papers sent by the Serious Fraud Office to the Permanent Secretary on 8 March 2001 in respect of allegations against British Aerospace/BAE Systems and Robert Lee International were communicated in any way to the then Secretary of State or his successor;
	(3)  what investigations took place within his Department into the contents of the papers sent by the Serious Fraud Office to the Permanent Secretary on 8 March 2001 in respect of allegations against British Aerospace/BAE Systems and Robert Lee International;
	(4)  how many times (a) the Secretary of State, (b) his predecessors, (c) the Permanent Secretary and (d) other Ministry of Defence officials have met representatives of British Aerospace/BAE Systems to discuss issues relating to Saudi Arabia since May 1997.

Adam Ingram: The Serious Fraud Office (SFO) wrote to the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Defence in March 2001 about allegations of fraud in connection with a sub-contractor to BAE Systems. The SFO informed the Permanent Secretary that there was insufficient evidence to support a criminal investigation of the fraud allegations, but wished to bring it to his attention in case Government money might be involved. The Permanent Secretary established that the allegations were not of direct relevance to the Ministry of Defence, as they related to the role of a sub-contractor (Robert Lee International) to BAE Systems, and Government money had not been involved. Having been informed, however, that the Chairman of BAE Systems was already aware of this matter, the Permanent Secretary raised it with the Chairman, in the context of the Government's robust anti-fraud policy, for any further inquiries he deemed appropriate.
	Since the allegations of fraud were not a matter for the Ministry of Defence, it was not considered necessary to bring them to the attention of the Secretary of State. Ministers and officials at the Ministry of Defence have discussed issues related to Saudi Arabia with representatives of BAE Systems on numerous occasions since 1997.

Service Accommodation

Keith Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what recent discussions he has had with (a) the Defence Housing Executive and (b) Defence Estates concerning the future of the married quarters estate.

Ivor Caplin: I have had discussions with the Chief Executives of both agencies on a range of topics. These have included the married quarters estate.

Shoeburyness Firing Range

Teddy Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the future of the new range in Shoeburyness.

Ivor Caplin: The Shoeburyness ranges are included in the Long Term Partnering Agreement that has been negotiated with QinetiQ for the delivery of a long-term test and evaluation capability to the Ministry of Defence. This agreement came into effect on 1 April 2003.

Trafalgar Class Submarines

Bernard Jenkin: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many Trafalgar Class submarines are available for operational tasking.

Adam Ingram: There are four Trafalgar Class submarines available for operational tasking:
	HMS Turbulent, HMS Tireless, HMS Torbay, HMS Triumph.

Type 45s

Bernard Jenkin: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what delays there have been to the Type 45 programme; and what the in-service date is for the first of the class.

Adam Ingram: The currently approved in-service date (ISD) is November 2007 but this has always been challenging. Full production of the first of class started a few months behind the original schedule and the programme is currently under review. Any change will be announced when that work is complete, later this year.

Weapons of Mass Destruction

Paul Keetch: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what his Department's assessment is of the threat to the United Kingdom and its interests from ballistic missiles in the aftermath of the Iraq war; and if he will make a statement.

Geoff Hoon: I refer the hon. Member to the Ministry of Defence paper, "Missile Defence, a Public Discussion Paper", which was published in December 2002. A copy is available in the Library of the House. It is also available at: www.mod.uk
	Since that assessment was published, coalition operations in Iraq have successfully removed the threat of ballistic missiles that were held by, or under development by, the former Iraqi regime.

HOME DEPARTMENT

Antisocial Behaviour

Oona King: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps his Department will take to encourage social landlords to take more enforcement measures against anti-social tenants; and what assessment he has made of the implications for the Anti-Social Behaviour Action Plan of the awarding of costs against the housing association in the case THCH v. Mr. Joseph Loomes.

Keith Hill: I have been asked to reply.
	The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister is extending the range of tools that social landlords can use to tackle anti-social behaviour. These include broadening the range of landlords who can take out injunctions against tenants who behave in an anti-social manner, introducing a power for social landlords to demote secure and assured tenants to a less favourable form of tenancy, and generally ensuring that the responses to anti-social behaviour are appropriately focused on the needs of the community. In addition, social landlords will be required to prepare and publish policies and procedures in relation to anti-social behaviour, which will be available to tenants and other residents.
	It is the responsibility of social landlords to ensure that they use the appropriate enforcement measure to address the variety of anti-social behaviour cases that may arise. However, the general purpose of the measures in the Anti-social Behaviour Bill is to encourage and facilitate social landlords taking a more active approach in their dealings with anti-social behaviour.
	The definition of anti-social behaviour used in Part 2 of the Anti-social Behaviour Bill refers to conduct which is capable of causing nuisance or annoyance rather than behaviour which has actually caused nuisance or annoyance to named individuals. This makes it clear that landlords can use evidence from people other than the direct victims of the behaviour in proceedings for injunctions or demotion orders. The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister hopes that this will encourage more social landlords to be proactive in their management of such behaviour, for example by using professional witnesses in situations where individual victims are too scared or intimidated to give evidence.
	Regarding the specific case mentioned, it does not have any significant implications for the Anti-social Behaviour Action Plan, as the judgment is specific to that case. However, the broadening of injunctive powers included within the Anti-social Behaviour Bill mentioned earlier should make it easier for registered social landlords, including Tower Hamlets Community Homes, to undertake successful court action.

Antisocial Behaviour

John Cummings: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what representations he has received from (a) the Durham constabulary, (b) the Local Government Association and (c) other interested parties concerning problems in obtaining anti-social behaviour orders.

Hazel Blears: I am not aware that any representations from Durham constabulary regarding problems with Anti-Social Behaviour Orders (ASBOs) have been received. We work closely with the Local Government Association and other interested parties concerning ASBOs.
	Legislative changes were introduced by the Police Reform Act 2002 to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of ASBOs in response to problems identified by the Home Office review of ASBOs published in April 2002. These changes were accompanied by Home Office guidance on both ASBOs and Acceptable Behaviour Contracts (ABCs) which was distributed to local authorities and police in November 2002.
	The Anti-social Behaviour Bill builds on these improvements. The ASBO measures respond to the experiences of relevant authorities and the needs of witnesses and victims and are intended to close loopholes, making ASBOs more easily obtainable for all cases where they would be appropriate.
	The Home Office is also setting up an action line, website and training academy which will provide support for agencies to enable them to use the full range of interventions for tackling anti-social behaviour.

Child Abuse

Claire Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if the Government will adopt the recommendation of the Home Affairs Committee that the statutory reporting restrictions, which preserve the anonymity of victims of sexual offences, are extended to persons accused of historical child abuse.

Paul Goggins: The Government believes that there should be no change in the law relating to anonymity. In our view, informed and strengthened guidance to the police and the media is preferable to any change in legislation. The Police Code of Conduct provides that information which comes into the possession of the police should be treated as confidential. It should not be used for personal benefit and neither should it be divulged to other parties except in the proper course of police duty. Unauthorised disclosure of information on a suspect by a police officer is likely to be considered a breach of this Code. Such a breach would mean that an officer's conduct had not met the appropriate standard for the purposes of the Police (Conduct) Regulations, and disciplinary proceedings might commence. An officer could face dismissal or even prosecution, depending on the circumstances of the case.
	We have reached an agreement with the Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO) that it will amend its media and disciplinary guidelines to all forces to give greater prominence to the rules that govern the release of information about anyone suspected of, but not yet charged with, an offence. We are working to ensure that the guidelines are consistently and robustly enforced. Similarly, Ministers are in discussion with media representatives to assess how unhelpful or intrusive reporting of such cases can be avoided with a view to amending and strengthening the Press Complaints Commission's Code of Practice. An officer could face dismissal or even prosecution, depending on the circumstances of the case. We have reached an agreement with the Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO) that it will amend its media and disciplinary guidelines to all forces to give greater prominence to the rules that govern the release of information about anyone suspected of, but not yet charged with, an offence. We are working to ensure that the guidelines are consistently and robustly enforced. Similarly, Ministers are in discussion with media representatives to assess how unhelpful or intrusive reporting of such cases can be avoided with a view to amending and strengthening the Press Complaints Commission's Code of Practice.

Closed Circuit Television

Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what funding is available to finance the introduction of CCTV cameras in (a) schools and (b) town centres; and if he will make a statement.

Hazel Blears: holding answer 27 October 2003
	The Crime Reduction Programme Closed Circuit Television (CCTV) Initiative funded 684 CCTV schemes across England and Wales. The main areas covered by these schemes were town centres/shopping centres, car parks, residential areas, community shopping areas, hospitals, and rail stations.
	Under the Small Retailers in Deprived Areas (SRDA) Initiative, £15 million was provided to improve security of small retailers, including the provision of CCTV where appropriate. In year one of the initiative (2001–02) approximately 50 per cent. of the projects involved the installation or upgrading of CCTV in either individual shop units or covering shopping parades or precincts. In year two (2002–03) it rose to almost 70 per cent. and in year three (2003–04) it is 63 per cent.
	Both the CCTV and SRDA Initiatives are fully committed and drawing to a close. Future CCTV schemes can be financed through the Building Safer Communities (BSC) Fund, which is used to strategically tackle local crime reduction priorities through a number of interventions including CCTV. For 2003–04 the fund provided local Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnerships with £72.3million.
	Section 5 of the Crime and Disorder Act 1998 requires the responsible authorities of the CDRP to work in co-operation with other bodies, including education, in completing a crime and disorder audit and strategy. This engagement should ensure access to funding if it is considered a priority for the area. The CDRP can then consider whether installing CCTV cameras in schools and town centres fits with its local priorities.

Community Support Officers

Vera Baird: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to increase the powers of community support officers.

Hazel Blears: Subject to Parliamentary approval the Anti-social Behaviour Bill will extend the following powers to Community Support Officers (CSOs):
	The power to disperse groups.
	The power to issue a fixed penalty notice for graffiti and fly-posting.
	The power to issue a fixed penalty notice to parents for truancy.
	The power to stop cyclists in order to issue a fixed penalty notice for cycling on a footpath.

Crime Statistics

Paddy Tipping: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many crimes were committed per head of population in the (a) Avon and Somerset, (b) Bedfordshire, (c) Leicestershire, (d) Nottinghamshire and (e) South Yorkshire police force areas in the last five years for which figures are available.

Hazel Blears: holding answer 29 October 2003
	The requested information is given in the table.
	
		Number of crimes recorded by the police per 1,000 population
		
			 Police force area 1998–99 1999–2000 2000–01 2001–02 2002–03 
		
		
			 Avon and Somerset 102 99 99 118 117 
			 Bedfordshire 89 96 88 92 108 
			 Leicestershire 101 102 92 94 104 
			 Nottinghamshire 131 133 135 154 159 
			 South Yorkshire 102 101 96 104 120 
		
	
	There was a change of counting rules for recorded crime on 1 April 1998, which had the effect of increasing the number of crimes counted. Numbers of offences for years before and after this date, and figures calculated from them, are therefore not directly comparable.
	The National Crime Recording Standard (NCRS) was introduced across England and Wales in April 2002. Some police forces adopted the Standard prior to this date. Bedfordshire, Leicestershire, Nottinghamshire and South Yorkshire police force areas introduced the Standard in April 2002, and Avon and Somerset police introduced the Standard in October 2000. Broadly, the NCRS had the effect of increasing the number of crimes recorded by the police. Therefore, following the introduction of the Standard numbers of recorded crimes and figures derived from them are not comparable with previous years.

Dog Thefts

Peter Ainsworth: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to increase penalties on conviction for the theft of pet dogs; and if he will make a statement.

Hazel Blears: holding answer 21 October 2003
	There are no plans to increase penalties for the theft of pet dogs. The courts already have robust sentencing powers for theft: the current maximum penalty is seven years imprisonment.
	The Government believe that these penalties sufficiently reflect the seriousness of the offence.

Mobile Phones

Howard Flight: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the cost was to his Department of mobile phones supplied to ministers and officials in each year since 1997.

Fiona Mactaggart: To provide the hon. Member with a full answer will incur disproportionate cost. I can, however, provide information on mobile phones and associated equipment purchased via our central procurement unit since 1997, which is as follows:
	
		Total expenditure, mobile phones and associated equipment
		
			  £ 
		
		
			 1997 175.00 
			 1998 5,516.16 
			 1999 163,933.83 
			 2000 146,201.48 
			 2001 46,491.25 
		
	
	The cost of mobile phones and associated equipment purchased for core Home Office staff via our central procurement unit during 2002 was £64,750. Information is not held centrally on call and line rental charges and could be provided, again, only at disproportionate cost.

Mobile Phones

Mark Oaten: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many (a) prosecutions and (b) convictions there have been under the Mobile Telephones (Reprogramming) Act 2002.

Hazel Blears: The information requested is not available through our formal statistical channels. Court proceedings for offences under the Mobile Telephone (Re-programming) Act 2002 only became identifiable in the statistics collected centrally in January 2003. Statistics for 2003 will be published in the autumn of 2004 to ensure all court data is validated and corrected.
	However, police forces have been running operations and several arrests and charges have already been made under the Act. I refer the hon. Member to the answer given on 7 July 2003, Official Report, column 641W.

North Wales Police

Ian Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many community support officers have been employed by North Wales police in each of the last three years for which figures are available.

Hazel Blears: The first year in which community support officers (CSOs) could be recruited was 2002–03. North Wales police had no CSOs in that year. This financial year, they planned to recruit eight CSOs and all eight commenced employment on 1 September 2003.

People Trafficking

Andy Reed: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to increase penalties for those engaged in the trafficking of (a) women and (b) children for the illegal sex industry in England and Wales.

Beverley Hughes: The Government takes very seriously the issue of trafficking people for sexual exploitation. At present, the Nationality, Asylum and Immigration Act 2002 contains an offence of trafficking for prostitution, which makes it an offence, punishable by up to 14 years imprisonment, to traffic someone (whether an adult or a child) into or out of the United Kingdom for the purposes of exploiting them in prostitution.
	The Sexual Offences Bill, introduced into the House of Lords on 28 January 2003 proposes new comprehensive offences of trafficking for sexual exploitation to replace the stop-gap offence introduced by the Nationality, Immigration and Asylum Act 2002. These new offences tackle the movement of people into, within and out of the UK for the purposes of sexual exploitation, and will also carry maximum penalties of 14 years imprisonment. The offence relating to trafficking within the UK applies equally to UK nationals trafficked from place to place in the UK, and to foreign nationals brought here and then moved around from place to place within the UK. This is the first time that the trafficking of UK nationals within the UK has been tackled in legislation.
	Internationally, we are committed to addressing the issue of trafficking by our involvement with the EU Framework Decision on combating the trafficking of human beings, and the UN protocol to prevent, suppress and punish trafficking.
	We believe 14 years is the appropriate maximum penalty for trafficking an adult or child. This is the highest determinate penalty available to the courts and we consider that it provides a proportionate response to the range of criminal behaviour involved in trafficking. Where the trafficked person is also subjected to a sexual or violent offence, this can be charged in its own right and the offender will then additionally be liable for the penalties that attach to those offences.

Police

Tony McWalter: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many ex-police officers are being paid a pension because of early retirement through ill health; and what monitoring systems are in place to ensure that the ill health is not transient.

Hazel Blears: The requested figures are not centrally available. However the number of ill-health retirements within the police service has been falling over recent years from a level of 14.8 per 1,000 officer strength in 1997–98 to 8.8 per 1,000 in 2001–02.
	Regulation K1 of the Police Pension Regulations 1987 gives the police authority the discretion to review whether the disablement of a person in receipt of a police ill-health pension has ceased. Such reviews can be held at intervals that the authority considers appropriate. We would expect police authorities to continue to review the circumstances in any case where it was felt that there was a reasonable prospect for the cessation of disablement and that the former officer could be re-engaged.

Police

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people have been killed in each of the last five years by the police (a) during police action, (b) as a result of police pursuits and (c) in police custody.

Hazel Blears: In each of the last five years, for which Home Office figures have been published, the total number of people who died during or following police action are as follows.
	1997–1998—69
	1998–1999—67
	1999–2000—70
	2000–2001—52
	2001–2002—70
	Within those totals:
	1997–98
	Eleven died during or following police pursuits and 40 died in or following police custody.
	1998–99
	Four died during or following police pursuits and 41 died in or following police custody.
	1999–2000
	Ninteen died during or following police pursuits and 30 died in or following police custody.
	2000–01
	Seventeen died during or following police pursuits and 25 died in or following police custody.
	2001–02
	Thirty died during or following police pursuits and 22 died in or following police custody.

Police

John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many (a) police officers and (b) crimes committed there were in police authority areas in England in the last year for which figures are available.

Hazel Blears: holding answer 30 October 2003
	The latest published information on the number of police officers by police force area in England is published in Table 1 of 'Police Service Strength, England and Wales, 31 March 2003' (Home Office Statistical Bulletin 11/03).
	The latest published information on the number of crimes recorded in each police force area in England is contained in Table 6.04 of 'Crime in England and Wales 2002/03' (Home Office Statistical Bulletin 07/03).
	Copies of both publications are available in the Library.

Prisoners

Annette Brooke: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prisoners are held (a) over 50 miles and (b) over 100 miles from their committal court town.

Paul Goggins: An individual prisoners' court details are recorded to show first court appearance, committal, remand, conviction or sentencing. Information specifically on committal court details could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.
	As at 30 September 2003, the latest date for which information is available, details of all types of court information, including committal, remand, convicting and sentencing, were available for 71,089 prisoners, or 96 per cent. of the total prison population of 73,741 on that day. This information is shown in the following table.
	
		Distance from court town
		
			  Number of prisoners As a percentageof the total population(35) 
		
		
			 Held under 50 miles from their court town 44,955 63 
			 Held between 50 and 100 miles from their court town 15,254 22 
			 Held over 100 miles from their court town 10,880 15 
			 Total 71,089 100 
		
	
	(35) Based on the 96 per cent. of the population for which court data is available

Private Office Costs

Howard Flight: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the running costs have been of ministers' private offices in his Department in each year since 1997.

David Blunkett: Running costs for my department, Ministers' offices, the Private Office Management Support Unit and Parliamentary Secretariat for each year from 1997 were as follows:
	
		
			 Year Pay costs Other running costs 
		
		
			 1997–98 1,551,644 572,622 
			 1998–99 1,566,018 1,202,633 
			 1999–2000 1,619,459 791,588 
			 2000–01 1,223,794 841,809 
			 2001–02 1,643,622 943,022 
		
	
	The running costs for the whole of Private Office—including non Ministerial Offices—in 2001–02 was £4,492,704 and in 2002–03 was £5,176,925. Changes in financial recording systems from 2001 mean that it is no longer possible, without disproportionate cost, to separate the cost of Ministerial from non-Ministerial offices. Consequently this figure is not directly comparable with those provided prior to 2001–02, which did not include the cost of the offices of the Permanent Secretary, the Director General, Resources and Performance, Special Advisers, as well as the Typing Centre and the Ministerial Briefing Unit, which was largely created by bringing together existing staff in other Directorates. The figure for 2002–03 also includes office running costs for an additional Minister.

Probation Service

Mark Oaten: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many offenders under the supervision of the Probation Service are categorised as (a) low, (b) medium or (c) high risk.

Paul Goggins: Information about risk of harm is collected through the Offender Assessment System (OASys) that is being implemented in the National Probation Service and the Prison Service. We currently have standardised information in a comparable format from some 5,000 OASys assessments in four probation areas. Analysis of this data produces the percentages for the level of risk of harm shown in the table.
	Until next summer, when we will have data from all 42 probation areas, we will not know whether this profile reflects the pattern across the National Probation Service. Until then we will not be able to say with confidence how many offenders under probation supervision fall into each risk of harm category.
	
		
			 Level of risk of harm Percentage of offenders based on data from four areas 
		
		
			 Very high 0.4 
			 High 6.5 
			 Medium 25.1 
			 Low 68.0 
			 Total 100

Silverlands

Philip Hammond: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the estimated open market value of Silverlands, Chertsey was (a) at 30 June 2001 and (b) after the completion of refurbishment works in summer 2002; what the open market value is now; and what the total cost of works carried out to the property since 30 June 2001 is.

Fiona Mactaggart: Prior to the start of the conversion works in July 2001, Silverlands was valued by the district valuer at an open market value of £2.3 million.
	The last district valuer valuation of June 2002 contained an open market value, following conversion works, between £3.25 and £3.5 million.
	The Department of Health has not undertaken any subsequent valuations on this property.
	The total cost of works carried out to the property since June 2002 is minimal.

Silverlands

Philip Hammond: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the average monthly cost of (a) maintenance and (b) security of Silverlands, Chertsey was to government departments in the last five years.

Fiona Mactaggart: There was nil expenditure for the Home Department except for the period between September 2001 and June 2002, in which a total of £3.7million was spent on the Silverlands refurbishment project, of which approximately £2.8million related to maintenance and £0.9million to security. The average costs of the project were:
	(a) maintenance: £280,000 per month
	(b) security: £90,000 per month.
	All figures are inclusive of VAT.
	The final account and retention release, and associated fees, are still outstanding on the project. These are currently estimated at about £320,000.
	In addition to the above, the Department of Health has advised us that:
	(a) maintenance cost prior to and after refurbishment has been minimal
	(b) the following has been spent on security per month:
	August 1999 to December 2001—Average £10,000
	July to October 2002—£55,000
	October2002 to June 2003—£22,000
	June 2003 onwards £13,000
	This averages £15,795 per month.

Silverlands

Philip Hammond: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the cost to date is to (a) his Department and (b) the Department of Health of (i) building works and (ii) security provision at Silverlands, Chertsey.

Fiona Mactaggart: The cost to the Home Department of the refurbishment works to date is £3.7 million of which £2.8 million related to (i) maintenance and £0.9 million related to (ii) security. The final account and retention release, and associated fees, are still outstanding on the project. These are currently estimated at about £320,000. These figures are inclusive of VAT.
	In addition to the above the Department of Health has advised us that (i) building works has been minimal and (ii) security provision at Silverlands, Chertsey, to date has cost £695,000.

Terrestrial Trunked Radio System

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for Stoke-on-Trent, North (Ms Walley) of 4 June 2003, Official Report, column 462W, on the Terrestrial Trunked Radio System, what reports he has received from police officers of ill health effects which they attribute to TETRA.

Hazel Blears: The Home Office has received no reports from police officers of ill-health effects which they attribute to TETRA. We were however made aware by representatives of the Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO) and the Police Federation that some early users of the system were concerned about potential health effects of the TETRA technology. We have addressed these concerns by taking independent expert advice and setting up a long-term research programme. The experts concluded that it was unlikely that TETRA technology could pose a risk to health, and this has been confirmed by the research results to date. More information can be found at www.homeoffice.gov.uk/docs/tetra.html.

Violent Crime (Easington)

John Cummings: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many violent crimes occurred in the Easington sub division of the Durham County Police Authority in (a) 2000, (b) 2001 and (c) 2002; and if he will make a statement.

Hazel Blears: Numbers of violent crimes which occurred in Easington are recorded and published at Basic Command Unit (BCU) level. Violent crime is comprised of violence against the person, sexual offences and robbery. The requested information is given in the table.
	
		Number of violent crimes recorded by the police for Easington Basic Command Unit
		
			  Crimes recorded 
			  Violence againstthe person Sexual offences Robbery 
		
		
			 1999–2000 729 48 21 
			 2000–01 629 35 22 
			 2001–02 820 39 35 
			 2002–03 1,095 33 51 
		
	
	The National Crime Recording Standard (NCRS) was introduced across England and Wales in April 2002. Some police forces adopted the Standard prior to this date. Durham police force introduced the Standard in January 2002. Broadly, the NCRS had the effect of increasing the number of crimes recorded by the police. Therefore, following the introduction of the Standard, numbers of recorded crimes are not directly comparable with previous years.

SCOTLAND

Stamp Duty Land Tax

Mark Prisk: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what assessment he has made of the impact of increases in stamp duty land tax on economic regeneration policies in Scotland; and if he will make a statement.

Ruth Kelly: I have been asked to reply.
	The Government have introduced disadvantaged areas relief which provides an exemption from stamp duty land tax for transactions in non-residential land in Enterprise Areas. There are 135 areas in Scotland which qualify for this relief, selected by reference to the national index of deprivation. The measure provides a major boost to businesses investing in commercial premises in Scotland.

CULTURE MEDIA AND SPORT

Alcohol Labelling

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what representations she has received regarding bringing alcohol labelling in line with those placed on tobacco products.

Melanie Johnson: I have been asked to reply.
	The Department of Health has received a number of representations consisting of correspondence from right hon. and hon. Members and from members of the public. The Department has also received a petition from the British Association for the Study of the Liver, the British Society for Gastroenterology and the British Liver Trust. My hon. Friend the Minister of State for Crime Reduction, Policing and Community Safety at the Home Office (Ms Blears), has received similar representations in her role as Sponsor Minister for the Strategy Unit Project to develop an Alcohol Harm Reduction Strategy for England.

Anti-doping Policy

John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what plans she has to recommend the classification of additional anabolic steroids.

Richard Caborn: The Government have no plans to make recommendations on the classification of additional anabolic steroids. This is a matter entirely for UK Sport, the UK's national anti-doping agency, to ensure that all dope test samples are analysed in accordance with the Olympic Movement's Anti-Doping Code of prohibited substances and methods (January 2003), and from January 2004, the World Anti-Doping Code list of prohibited substances and methods.

Anti-doping Policy

Clive Betts: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if she will make a statement on the efficacy of drug-testing procedures in sports, with particular reference to football.

Richard Caborn: The UK is at the forefront of the international sporting community's fight against doping in sport The UK's national anti-doping policy is in line with the International Standard for Doping Control which requires sport's governing bodies to carry out a robust in and out of competition dope testing programme. This policy ensures that all sports in the UK have consistent anti-doping procedures and regulations that are transparent and fair to their athletes. It is a matter for the UK's national anti-doping agency, UK Sport, and sport's governing bodies to administer this policy.
	UK Sport is working with sport's governing bodies, including the Football Association, on implementing the world anti-doping code into their drug testing programmes which will result in the harmonisation of anti-doping processes across countries by the 2004 Olympic games in Athens.

Bechtel

Malcolm Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if she will list the contracts for (a) consultancy and (b) other work carried out by Bechtel in each year since 1997, stating in each case (i) the nature of the work, (ii) the value of the contract and (iii) the duration of the contract; and if she will make a statement.

Richard Caborn: holding answer 29 October 2003
	DCMS have no record of any contract with Bechtel over the period 1997 to 2003.

Fair Shares Programme

Colin Challen: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how much Lottery money has been distributed through the Fair Shares programme; and what assessment she has made of the effectiveness of the programme.

Estelle Morris: The fair share initiative aims to ensure that those communities at greatest disadvantage do not lose out from Lottery funding. In its first year of operation, over £31 million has been distributed through the Community Fund's grants programmes targeted at fair share areas; grants of between £200,000 and £2.2 million have been committed under the New Opportunities Fund's 'fair share: transforming your space' programme; and a £50 million fair share Trust has been set up, to be delivered by the Community Foundation Network. The programme has achieved 90 per cent. of its projected funding target for 2002–03. Now that these building blocks are in place, I expect to see a steady increase in the flow of funding over the remaining two years of the programme.

National Lottery

Greg Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how much money raised from the National Lottery has been spent in (a) East Yorkshire, (b) West Yorkshire and (c) Greater London, in each of the past four years for which figures are available.

Estelle Morris: The requested information is in the following table.
	This information is derived from the Department's National Lottery awards database which contains information provided by the distributing bodies.
	East Yorkshire is taken as the area of the hon. Member's constituency, West Yorkshire comprises Bradford, Calderdale, Kirklees, Leeds and Wakefield local authority areas.
	
		£
		
			  EastYorkshire West Yorkshire Greater London 
		
		
			 1999 912,015 46,778,718 410,955,361 
			 2000 440,600 35,725,974 229,659,961 
			 2001 1,007,825 39,472,855 324,572,862 
			 2002 286,344 68,784,738 357,138,602

National Lottery

Adrian Flook: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if she will list the Lottery awards made by each funding body in Somerset in each year since 2000.

Estelle Morris: 811 Lottery awards have been made since 1 January 2000 in Somerset.
	Dates of Lottery awards, name of recipients, and the Lottery distributor concerned will be placed in the Libraries of both Houses.

National Lottery

Lindsay Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if she will list the Lottery awards made by each funding body in (a) the North West, (b) Lancashire and (c) Chorley in each year since 2000.

Estelle Morris: 8,881 Lottery awards have been made since 1 January 2000 in the North West region. 1,721 Lottery awards have been made since 1 January 2000 in Lancashire. 179 Lottery awards have been made to Chorley since 1 January 2000.
	The information concerning the North West region was placed in the Libraries of both Houses in response to a question from the hon. Member for Ribble Valley (Mr. Evans) on 29 October 2003, Official Report, column 274.

Olympic Games

Adrian Sanders: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport 
	(1)  what estimate she has made of the percentage of the hotel rooms planned to be available in London by the time of the 2012 Olympics which will be of an inspected standard;
	(2)  what percentage of funding she estimates will be spent on improving hotel facilities in the event of a successful 2012 London Olympic bid.

Tessa Jowell: The assessment of the cost and benefit implications of bidding for and staging the Olympics and Paralympic Games in London in 2012 undertaken by Arup in May 2003, drawing on London Tourist Board figures, projected up to 200,000 rooms in hotels/guest houses as potentially available within International Olympic Committee (IOC) visitor travel time requirements of one hour.
	Detailed information on accommodation is required by the IOC for the applicant city questionnaire, and London 2012 Ltd., the company set up to prepare the Olympic bid, are undertaking further work to verify and refine these figures. We would look to the LDA, working in partnerships with local authorities, agencies and businesses, to consider what action or investment they might take, including the development of their existing tourism infrastructure, to capture the benefits from the Olympics.

Olympic Games

Adrian Sanders: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what plans she has to involve (a) arts and (b) cultural organisations in developing the London Olympic Bid for 2012.

Tessa Jowell: The Olympics are not just about Sport; they will embrace the wider cultural life of the capital and of the country. One of the IOC requirements for the Games is for a Cultural Olympiad, a four year long cultural and educational programme around the Games which can be used to build community support and involvement. The plans for this Olympiad will form a part of the Candidature file which London 2012 Ltd. are preparing to submit to the International Olympic Committee in November 2004 and my Department will ensure that the relevant arts and cultural organisations are involved in their development.

Olympic Games

Adrian Sanders: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what percentage of hotel rooms in London were classified as substandard in the last year for which figures are available.

Richard Caborn: We are not aware of any such classification. In November 2002, the London Development Agency (LDA) report 'Improving the Quality of Visitor Accommodation in London' (commissioned by DCMS) estimated that 38 per cent. of London's serviced accommodation establishments were covered by the National Quality Assurance Standards (NQAS) schemes for serviced accommodation. The LDA is working hard to encourage further subscription. The report also found that 57 per cent. of hotel rooms in London belonged to branded hotel chains.
	This Department is committed to raising accommodation quality through the NQAS schemes, and through supporting skills and training in the industry. To tackle under-performing establishments that are ineligible for NQAS, we are currently piloting a 'Fitness for Purpose' initiative in six local authorities, including the London boroughs of Greenwich and Camden. The aim is to help failing accommodation providers to meet minimum legal requirements on health and safety, food hygiene, trading standards and fire safety.

Stamp Duty Land Tax

Mark Prisk: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what assessment she has made of the impact of increases in stamp duty land tax on her policy for (a) the preservation of historic piers and regeneration of seaside towns and (b) for public houses and other licensed premises; and if she will make a statement.

Ruth Kelly: I have been asked to reply.
	The Government have introduced disadvantaged areas relief which provides an exemption from stamp duty land tax for transactions in non-residential land in Enterprise Areas, including several areas in seaside towns. This will provide a major boost to businesses investing in commercial premises in those areas. No assessment has been undertaken of the effect on the preservation of historic piers.
	The impact of stamp duty land tax on public houses and other licensed premises was considered and discussed as part of the recent consultation process.

Tourism

Adrian Sanders: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what plans she has to use the creative industries in the promotion of British tourism (a) within the United Kingdom and (b) abroad.

Richard Caborn: VisitBritain promotes Britain overseas as a tourist destination and it promotes England to the domestic market. The creative industries are an important element in its campaigns. VisitBritain's website promotes creative events taking place across the country such as opera, ballet, film, exhibitions and arts festivals. VisitBritain's current European "Short Breaks" campaign has a strong cultural message, taking advantage of the European Capital of Culture competition. Other examples of campaigns include a "movie map" which uses film locations to encourage tourism, campaigns based around individual films such as Harry Potter and Johnny English, the sponsorship of a forthcoming Britain-related fashion show in Argentina and the launch of an animated film in Japan based on the famous 'Moving Castles' Novel by Dianna Wynne Jones. Domestically, VisitBritain has worked with Warner Classics to produce an 'Essentially England' CD-Rom which uses classical music to promote tourism.

Tourism

Adrian Sanders: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many foreign visitors she estimates visited (a) Bath, (b) York, (c) Liverpool, (d) Snowdonia, (e) Edinburgh, (f) Stratford upon Avon and (g) London in 2002–03.

Richard Caborn: The following table shows the number of visits made by foreign residents to these places in 2002, since data on visits to areas around the UK are produced by calendar year.
	
		
			 Area Number of visits made by foreign residents in 2002 
		
		
			 Bath 205,000 
			 York 230,000 
			 Liverpool 193,000 
			 Snowdonia Not available 
			 Caernarfonshire and Merionethshire (includes Snowdonia) 21,000 
			 Edinburgh 849,000 
			 Stratford Upon Avon 110,000 
			 London 11,603,000 
		
	
	Note:
	Figures for Snowdonia alone are not available, but figures are available for the combined regions of Caernarfonshire and Merionethshire, which contain Snowdonia.
	Source:
	International Passenger Survey, National Statistics

EDUCATION AND SKILLS

International Student Visas

Mrs. Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills which universities have the largest numbers of students studying on international student visas.

Alan Johnson: Information on the number of non-European Union students studying at higher education institutions in England for 2001/02 shows that the largest number of these students are studying at the universities listed in the following table. Information is not collected on the visa status of these students.
	
		
			 Institution Number 
		
		
			 London School of Economics and Political Science 3,425 
			 Middlesex University 3,348 
			 The University of Oxford 3,265 
			 The University of Cambridge 3,065 
			 The University of Nottingham 3,042 
			 The University of Warwick 3,038 
			 University College London 2,933 
			 The University of Leeds 2,855 
			 The University of Birmingham 2,827 
			 The Victoria University of Manchester 2,795 
			 The University of Sheffield 2,440 
			 The London Institute 2,105 
			 The University of Westminster 2,104 
			 Imperial College of Science, Technology & Medicine 2,014 
			 City University 1,872 
			 King's College London 1,869 
			 University of Luton 1,759 
			 The University of Leicester 1,710 
			 Oxford Brookes University 1,679 
			 The University of North London 1,677

Employment and Social Policy, Health andConsumer Affairs Council

Jimmy Hood: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what the outcome was of the Employment and Social Policy, Health and Consumer Affairs Council on 20 October 2003; what the Government's stance was on the issues discussed, including its voting record; and if he will make a statement.

Chris Pond: I have been asked to reply.
	My hon. Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Employment Relations, Competition and Consumers (Mr. Sutcliffe), represented the UK at the Employment, Social Policy, Health and Consumer Affairs Council in Luxembourg on 20 October 2003.
	The Council held a public debate on the Commission Communication on Immigration, Integration and Employment.
	The UK stated that immigration alone would not solve Europe's demographic problem and that the Employment Strategy provided the appropriate framework for improving the participation of immigrants in the labour market. Several delegations argued that member states should meet their demand for additional labour from national and European sources before seeking immigrants from outside the EU.
	On integrating immigrants, the UK stressed the need to provide language, skills and citizenship training for recent and next generation immigrants to prevent social exclusion and burdens on the public purse and argued that a job was the best means of social integration.
	The Council adopted Conclusions on the open method of co-ordination of adequate and sustainable pensions. There will be a progress report to the Council on 1 December 2003 about pensions indicators.
	The Council reached political agreement on a Directive protecting workers from the risks from exposure to electromagnetic fields and waves, as well as on the decision to renew the spending programme to prevent and combat violence against women, young people and children (Daphne II). The UK supported both decisions.
	The Council agreed an orientation towards political agreement on Chapters 7 and 8 of Regulation 1408/71 on social security coordination. The chapters cover pre-retirement benefits and family benefits.
	The Council agreed an orientation towards a political agreement on a Regulation amending Regulation 1408/71 to align provisions in readiness for the launch of European Health Card in June 2004.
	The Council approved the opinion of the Social Protection Committee on a Commission Communication on streamlining open co-ordination in the field of social protection.
	The Council adopted without discussion a resolution on transforming undeclared work into regular employment in the context of the European Employment Strategy, and a resolution encouraging member states to consider the provision of various services for victims of trafficking.
	Under Any Other Business, the Belgians presented a short paper on Growth and Competitiveness.
	No Health or Consumer Affairs items were on the agenda.
	No votes were taken at this Council.

Fieldwork

Cheryl Gillan: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills 
	(1)  what assessment he has made of the implications of access to field work in schools for the promotion of environmental awareness; and whether the provision for field work within the national curriculum will ensure that enough employees with adequate skills are available to bodies who carry out environmental impact assessments;
	(2)  what assessment he has made of whether the encouragement of fieldwork as a teaching method is adequately supported by teacher training courses;
	(3)  what assessment he has made of the Growing Schools Initiative as a sufficient alternative to a formal requirement for out of classroom activity for the (a) science GCSE and (b) biology A-level curricula;
	(4)  whether his Green Action Plan for Education will specify the need for out of class room activity as part of the national curriculum for appropriate subjects.

David Miliband: No assessment has been made of the implications of access to fieldwork in schools for the promotion of environmental awareness. It is important to note, however, that there are requirements for Education for Sustainable Development both in Geography and in Science, including science GCSE and AS/A Level qualifications.
	Although the National Curriculum is not designed to provide vocational training, under the proposed 14–19 reforms set out in the Green Paper 'Excellence and Opportunity', young people would have greater flexibility in selecting their options, and may choose to pursue courses which cover environmental impacts.
	No assessment has been made of whether the encouragement of fieldwork as a teaching method is adequately supported by teacher training courses. However, under the standards for qualified teacher status and requirements for initial teacher training, teacher trainers use non-school settings such as fieldwork, visits to museums and other off-site locations. All newly qualified teachers are now required to be able to plan opportunities for pupils to learn in out-of-school contexts. Teacher training providers can also take trainees' prior achievement into account. This means, for example, that a trainee teacher who has previously worked in a fieldwork centre can have this experience taken into account when their training needs are assessed.
	In addition to this, we anticipate that, over time, our new Science Learning Centres, the preferred suppliers for six of which along with a national centre were recently announced, will help science teachers and technicians to develop their skills in out of the classroom teaching.
	No assessment has been made of the Growing Schools Programme providing an alternative to out of classroom activity for Science GCSE or 'A' level biology because it is not an alternative. Growing Schools supports teachers in using the outdoors for teaching subjects across the curriculum for pupils of all ages, including in Science GCSE and Biology A level.
	The Department's Sustainable Action Plan for Education and Skills does not specify the need for out of classroom activity as part of the National Curriculum. However the Geography programmes of study at Key Stages 1, 2 and 3 do specify the requirement for all pupils to carry out fieldwork investigations outside the classroom.

Funding (Primary Schools)

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if he will make a statement on the funding arrangements for primary school non-contact time.

David Miliband: holding answer 30 October 2003
	Many primary teachers already receive non-contact time as part of their regular timetable. As a result of the National Agreement on raising standards and tackling workload, all teachers will be entitled to 10 per cent. guaranteed time for planning, preparation and assessment (PPA) from 1 September 2005.
	The costs of implementing this contractual change in primary schools will vary. Many schools have already done so; others will need to take a rigorous look at how they use their existing resources. The more radical approach a school takes in pursuing workforce reform, the lower the cost is likely to be. Schools that abandon unnecessary tasks; reform their use of support staff; maximise the contribution of ICT and reduce reliance on expensive supply teachers will be able to deliver guaranteed PPA time from their base budgets.
	The announcement, on 29 October, of a package of measures to deliver greater stability in school budgets for 2004–05 and 2005–06 will also help primary schools plan for the introduction of guaranteed PPA time.

Further and Higher Education

Alan Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many people resident in Tynemouth constituency are (a) further and (b) higher education students.

Alan Johnson: Figures are not available at constituency level. The available figures cover North Tyneside LEA.
	In 2001/02,16,445 people resident in North Tyneside LEA attended Further Education (FE) sector colleges.
	In 2002/03, 856 people resident in North Tyneside LEA were accepted through the Universities and, Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS) onto full-time undergraduate courses.

Further and Higher Education

Cheryl Gillan: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many people in (a) Chesham and Amersham and (b) Buckinghamshire are (i) further and (ii) higher education students.

Alan Johnson: Figures are not available at constituency level. The available figures cover Buckinghamshire LEA.
	In 2001/02, 19,396 people resident in Buckinghamshire LEA attended further education (FE) sector colleges.
	In 2002/03, 3,316 people resident in Buckinghamshire were accepted through the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS) onto full-time undergraduate courses.

Further and Higher Education

Alan Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many people beginning higher education courses in 2002 had previously attended a fee-paying school.

Alan Johnson: The available information is from the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS) and covers full-time undergraduate entrants. Figures are in the table.
	
		Accepted applicants through UCAS to undergraduate courses by previous educational establishment, 2002 entry
		
			 Previous educational establishment Numbers Percentageof known 
		
		
			 Maintained school 121,911 46 
			 Independent school 30,293 11 
			 Further education colleges 110,083 42 
			 Other 1,480 1 
			 Total known 263,767 100 
			 Unknown 67,958 ? 
			 Total 331,725 ? 
		
	
	Source:
	UCAS

Learning Support Units

Damian Green: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills 
	(1)  how much funding each learning support unit has attracted for each year since 1997, broken down by local education authority;
	(2)  what funding has been provided to each learning support unit in each year since 1997, broken down by local education authority;
	(3)  how many learning support units in England (a) opened and (b) closed in each year since 1997, broken down by local education authority.

Ivan Lewis: I refer the hon. Member to the reply given on 30 April 2003, Official Report, column 411W.

Literacy/Numeracy Strategies

Phil Willis: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if he will list the contractual penalties incurred by contractors responsible for the delivery of primary (a) literacy and (b) numeracy strategies for failure to meet targets set by the strategies in the last three years.

Stephen Twigg: The responsibility for the achievement of the primary literacy and numeracy national targets lies solely with the Department for Education and Skills. The contractor responsible for the delivery of the primary literacy and numeracy strategies, CfBT Education Services, provides educational and operational support under the strategic direction of the Department.

Medical Examinations (Schools)

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills at what age medical examinations are normally carried out on school pupils.

Stephen Ladyman: I have been asked to reply.
	The provision of medical examinations for pupils at school is a matter for local primary care trusts to consider in accordance with professional advice.

Parliamentary Questions

Andrew Love: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills when he will reply to the questions of the hon. Member for Edmonton, Refs (a) 120769, (b) 120770, (c) 120771, (d) 120772 and (e) 120773, tabled on 19 June.

Stephen Twigg: Replies were issued on:
	(a) 23 September
	(b) 7 July
	(c) 14 July
	(d) 14 July
	(e) 30 September

Phonics Teaching Methods

Nick Gibb: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if he will make an assessment of the need for further clarification of the National Literacy Strategy's Framework for Teaching guidance on phonics instruction.

David Miliband: As outlined in the Department's response in August to Professor Greg Brooks' report of the phonics seminar held in March 2003, we agree that some clarification of the National Literacy Strategy's Framework for teaching is required and the Primary Strategy is developing further guidance, including a supplement to the "Progression in Phonics" material. This supplement will be made available to teachers towards the end of the spring term 2004.

Pupil Safety

David Kidney: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what measures he proposes to take to ensure that (a) local education authorities and (b) individual schools (i) take steps to assess the safety of pupils on journeys between home and school and (ii) take action where appropriate to improve their safety.

Charles Clarke: In September 2003, my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Transport and I launched an Action Plan to encourage more children to walk, cycle and take the bus to school where it is safe for them to do so. We are encouraging all schools to put in place School Travel Plans, which will be developed jointly by schools, parents, local authorities and others. Safety will be an important consideration, and my Department is providing capital funding which can be used for safety related changes to school premises. Outside school premises, local authority highways departments are responsible for road safety and are an integral part of the school travel planning process.
	Local education authorities arrange home to school transport where they consider it is necessary for pupils to get to school. In deciding on appropriate provision, they must consider several matters including pupils' ages and the nature of their routes to school. In "Travelling to School: an Action Plan", we set out proposals to encourage local authorities to trial innovative school transport arrangements, and we identified pupils travelling along routes that their parents consider unsafe as a group who could benefit from exemplar schemes.

School Funding (Suffolk)

Richard Spring: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills pursuant to his answer of 7 July 2003, Official Report, column 632W, on school funding (Suffolk), what representations he has received from Suffolk county council about the funding of schools in Suffolk.

David Miliband: My right hon. Friend has received a number of representations from the local authority and schools in Suffolk about the funding of schools. He made a statement to the House on 29 October 2003 about support for schools in 2004–05 and 2005–06.

Skills

Barry Gardiner: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what assessment his Department has made of the effect on the UK skills base of those on low incomes choosing not to seek new employment because of concerns over short term cash flow problems.

Ivan Lewis: This Department has not made an assessment of the effect on the skills base if those on low incomes choose not to seek new employment. The recent Skills Strategy White Paper sets out a number of measures aimed at ensuring individuals have the skills they need to be employable, and work productively in a flexible labour market. In addition, the 'Department for Work and Pensions is committed to making work pay for all those who are able to work, and to supporting households, including low-income households, in sustaining employment.
	The Department for Work and Pensions believe that most people moving from one job to another will be able to manage until they receive payment from their new job, as wages are paid in arrears. For those in receipt of working tax credit, continuity of payment is maintained when people move from one job to another, as long as the gap between jobs is no more than seven days. The new working tax credit has been extended to people aged 25 and over without children. If people receive the child tax credit, this continues to be paid direct to the main carer throughout any changes in employment. People in low paid employment may also be entitled to housing benefit and council tax benefit.
	People who are unable to manage while waiting for payment of wages, leading to a serious risk to their own health or safety or that of their family, may be able to get an interest free Crisis Loan. Repayment of a Crisis Loan does not start until the period of crisis is over and the rate of repayment takes account of a person's income and other commitments to avoid hardship.

Student Loans

Tim Boswell: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what action he is taking to ensure that student loans associated with top-up fees are available to students whose faith precludes the charging of interest.

Alan Johnson: Student loans are not commercial loans. The Government uprates the value of the outstanding loan in line with the general rate of inflation, to make sure that all borrowers pay back the same amount that they borrowed in real terms. We understand that some students believe that this precludes them from taking out such a loan. However, a recent survey of students by religious group, conducted for the report "Minority Ethnic Students in Higher Education", found that 64 per cent. of Muslims reported having a student loan; that was only slightly less than Hindu groups (66 per cent.), Sikh groups (66 per cent.) and Christian groups (69 per cent.) 1
	My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Education and Skills has met representatives from the Federation of Student Islamic Societies (FOSIS) on 8 July to discuss their concerns regarding student loans. Officials from my Department have also held further discussions with FOSIS representatives recently and will continue to do so.
	1 Source:lES/Mori Survey 2002. All figures are taken from table 6.3 of the report "Minority Ethnic Students in Higher Education", which was published in July 2003.

Teenage Pregnancy

Andrew Love: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what action is being taken to tackle teenage pregnancy in deprived areas; and if he will make a statement.

Stephen Twigg: The similar geography of teenage pregnancy and deprivation suggests that while there is still much work to do, the encouraging 10 per cent. decline in England's under 18 conception rate from 1998 to 2001 has been largely achieved through targeted work in deprived localities with high numbers of conceptions by:
	The allocation of funding to teenage pregnancy partnerships based on teenage pregnancy rates.
	The use of research and toolkits to address the needs of vulnerable groups. For example, "Teenage Pregnancy and Neighbourhood Renewal: Learning from New Deal for Communities" which details good practice in new deal for community areas and share the main learning points from that practice.
	New deal for communities and other neighbourhood renewal pathfinder programmes are given support and guidance in tackling teenage pregnancy as an issue through learning events and written guidance.
	Encouraging local strategies to target wards with a high number of teenage conceptions.
	The development of a programme of work to improve our understanding of the relationship between teenage pregnancy and socio-economic factors.
	The association between deprivation and teenage pregnancy is well established and reflected in the under 18 conception rates for local authorities across England. To achieve its national targets of halving the under 18 conception rate and reducing the inequality in rates between wards by at least 25 per cent. by 2010, the teenage pregnancy strategy must focus its work on deprived areas with high conception rates.

Tuition Fees

Tim Boswell: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what action he will take to alleviate hardship arising from top-up fees for students whose family relationship has been broken.

Alan Johnson: We expect the student support arrangements for students that are either irreconcilably estranged from their parents or whose parents are no longer living together to continue as they are now, when variable fees are introduced from 2006. The current arrangements are set out as follows:
	If a student is irreconcilably estranged from his or her parents, they are treated as independent for the purposes of assessing student support. Where such a student's personal income while on the course is below £10,000, they are entitled to the full fee remission grant to cover the standard fee and to a full maintenance loan. If their income is £15,200 or below, they will be entitled to the full higher education grant when this is introduced from 2004.
	If a student's parents are no longer living together, the income to be used for the purposes of assessing student support will continue to be that of the parent considered to be most appropriate. If that parental income is £15,200 or below, the student will be eligible for a full higher education grant; if below £20,970, they will be eligible for the full fee remission grant to cover the standard fee; and if below £31,230, a full maintenance loan.
	Both types of students will be able to take out a loan for fees to cover the balance of the fee above the standard fee once variable fees are introduced.

Tuition Fees

Peter Bradley: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what advantages in charging top-up fees will accrue to universities with (a) high levels and (b) low levels of students from low income backgrounds.

Alan Johnson: No university will be advantaged or disadvantaged in terms of additional fee income by the makeup of their intake. It will be for universities to assess the advantages and disadvantages of charging fees and what level of fee they should charge, up to the maximum of £3,000, provided they have an access agreement.

University Drop-out Rates

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what the drop-out rate was at universities in England and Wales in each year since 1997.

Alan Johnson: The latest available figures giving non-completion rates for students starting full-time first degree courses in England and in Wales are as follows:
	
		Non-completion for students starting full-time first degree courses in England and Wales
		
			  Non completion rate (percentage)(36) 
			 Students starting courses in: England Wales 
		
		
			 1999/2000 16 15 
			 1998/99 16 14 
			 1997/98 16 16 
		
	
	(36) Non-completion is regarded as those who do not gain a qualification from their original course or from any other course and do not transfer to another institution.Source:
	HEFCE Performance Indicators
	Figures published in 2003 by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) show that the UK as a whole has one of the lowest non-completion rates among OECD countries.

University Students (Buckinghamshire)

Cheryl Gillan: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what proportion of A-level students from (a) the Chesham and Amersham constituency and (b) Buckinghamshire secured a place at university in the last year for which figures are available.

Alan Johnson: The available information shows that, in 2002, the proportion of 18-year-olds resident in Buckinghamshire who obtained two or more A levels and who were accepted onto a full-time or sandwich undergraduate course in the UK via the Universities and Colleges Admission Service (UCAS) was 65 per cent. compared to the national average of 61 per cent.
	Figures are not available at constituency level.

LEADER OF THE HOUSE

European Legislation

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Leader of the House what plans he has to bring forward proposals to reform the procedures used by the House for scrutiny of European legislation.

Peter Hain: I have no current plans but would welcome Members' views on whether our procedures for scrutiny of European legislation need to be reformed. I intend to consult with Members on all sides of the House on the way we engage with the European legislative process and how we might do so more effectively.

TREASURY

Council Tax

Eric Pickles: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will estimate the increase in the level of income tax which would be required if council tax were abolished and the same revenue were raised through an increase in the basic rate of income tax.

Lindsay Hoyle: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the change in the level of income tax which would be required if council tax were abolished and the same revenue were raised through an increase in basic rate income tax.

Dawn Primarolo: I refer the hon. Members to Table C8 on p.257 of the 2003 Financial Statement and Budget Report which is available in the Library of the House, and table 1.6 of Inland Revenue Statistics, available on their website at www.inlandrevenue. gov.uk/stats/tax expenditures/q t061.htm.

Stamp Duty Land Tax

Mark Prisk: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the impact of increases in stamp duty land tax on his policies for promoting employment in the retail sector; and if he will make a statement.

Ruth Kelly: The impact of stamp duty land tax on the retail sector was considered and discussed as part of the recent consultation process.

Aircraft Duties

Francis Maude: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  if he will list the rates of (a) duty and (b) VAT on fuel for (i) aircraft on international flights, (ii) aircraft on domestic flights, (iii) cars, (iv) buses and (v) trains;
	(2)  if he will set out proposals for the future taxation of air travel, with particular reference to (a) duty on aviation fuel and (b) VAT on airline tickets in his next Pre-Budget Statement.

John Healey: Fuels duties are levied in accordance with fuel types and usage, and not be reference to the types of vehicle in which they are used. Customs and Excise Budget Notice 31/03, "Hydrocarbon Oils: Duty Rates", sets out the rates of duty applicable for different types of fuels, a copy of which is available in the Library of the House.
	In the UK, VAT is charged at the standard rate of 17.5 per cent. on fuel used in cars, buses, trains and aircraft on domestic flights. Fuel used in aircraft on international flights is zero-rated.

Debt Reduction (Serbia and Montenegro)

Harry Cohen: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he expects The London Club to deliver on its agreement to 65 per cent. debt reduction for Serbia and Montenegro; what has been the reason for the delay in doing so to date; what negotiations are still going on regarding this matter; what assessment he has made of whether this commitment will be fulfilled; what would be the implication of non-fulfilment of The London Club's commitment for debt relief upon that agreed by The Paris Club; and if he will make a statement.

John Healey: The Government expects all creditors, including those creditor banks sometimes known as the "London Club", to agree a debt restructuring with Serbia and Montenegro comparable to that provided by the "Paris Club" of official creditors in November 2001. The Government understands that negotiations between the Serbia and Montenegro authorities and some creditors are continuing. We have made clear to the Serbian authorities that the UK Government supports the case for comparable treatment, although there are no UK banks among the leading private sector creditors.

Economic Forecasts

Michael Howard: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will publish the Treasury's quarterly estimates of the output gap since 1990; and whether the estimates have been revised since publication of the 2003 Budget Red Book.

Paul Boateng: Treasury estimates of the output gap were published in Chart B4 on page 226 of the 2003 Financial Statement and Budget Report (HC 500). These estimates will be updated in the light of latest GDP data in the forthcoming Pre-Budget Report.

Gold Sales

Crispin Blunt: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to his answer of 13 February 2003, to the hon. Member for Chesham and Amersham (Mrs. Gillan), Official Report, column 861W, on gold sales, what the precise proceeds were in US dollars of the sale of 395 tonnes of gold; and what the proceeds would have been at the afternoon fix on 31 October 2003.

Ruth Kelly: The total proceeds from the sale of 395 tonnes of gold were US$3,496 million. At the afternoon fix on 31 October 2003, the total value of this gold was US$4,908 million. The gold sales between July 1999 and March 2002 reflected a prudent decision to reduce over-exposure to a single asset in the net reserves portfolio. Thus, the difference between these two figures quoted do not represent the real financial impact of the sales, as the proceeds from the gold sales were invested in euro, dollar and yen interest-bearing assets that have also increased in value over this period. The gold sales reduced risk by around 30 per cent. (as measured by value-at-risk) and are not expected to deliver a loss in return when measured over the medium to long-term; the appropriate time horizon for such a decision.

Golden Rule

Crispin Blunt: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the extent of compliance with the golden rule until 1 June 2006 on the basis of his annual forecasts.

Paul Boateng: As stated in Budget 2003:
	"The projections for the public finances show that the Government is firmly on track to meet its strict fiscal rules over the economic cycle, including in the cautious case, and while meeting its international and public spending commitments: the average current budget since the start of the current cycle in 1999–2000 is comfortably in surplus, ensuring the Government remains on track to meet the golden rule, using cautious assumptions and in the cautious case".
	An interim forecast update will be published, as usual, in the Pre-Budget Report.

Mortgages

Barry Gardiner: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what discussions the Treasury has had with the Financial Services Authority about including the need for financial stress testing for consumers applying for mortgages.

Ruth Kelly: The Government legislated in June 2003 to give the Financial Services Authority responsibility for regulating mortgage business with effect from 31 October 2004. The detail of the regulatory regime for mortgages is a matter for the FSA.
	However, we are aware that the FSA has recently published its new rules for mortgage sales. These rules, which take effect from 31 October next year, mean that:
	mortgage advisers have to recommend a mortgage that is suitable. Where they consider that the consumer will be unable to afford a mortgage the rules mean that they must not make any recommendation; and
	regardless of whether or not advice is provided, mortgage lenders must be able to show that they took account of the consumer's ability to repay before agreeing to any mortgage.

Self-assessment

Steve Webb: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many self-assessment forms have been issued in each of the last five years; and if he will make a statement on groups of people to whom the issue of forms has been extended since 1 January 1998.

Dawn Primarolo: The table shows the number of returns issued and gives a breakdown of those numbers.
	There have been no changes to the criteria that govern who are and who are not required to complete and submit a Self-Assessment Return since 1 January 1998.
	
		Number of returns issued
		
			 Period of return 1998–99 1999–2000 2000–01 2001–02 2002–03 
		
		
			 Bulk annual issue 7,424,907 7,267,592 7,237,749 7,309,336 7,130,076 
			 Notices to file 791,647 1,249,819 1,417,120 1,488,130 1,834,610 
			 In year issue 1,129,446 806,589 591,131 633,534 (37)575,345 
			   
			 Total 9,346,000 9,324,000 9,246,000 9,431 ,000 (38)9.7 
		
	
	(37) To date.
	(38) Million estimated.

Timber

Sue Doughty: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what source of paper is used for banknotes; and what measures have been taken to ensure that all timber used in this paper comes from (a) legal and (b) sustainable sources.

Ruth Kelly: The paper used for UK banknotes notes is not made from timber. It is manufactured by a specialist paper manufacturer from cotton fibre and linen rag, which gives its crisp and distinctive feel and makes it tougher and more durable than the more common wood pulp paper. Using copious amounts of water, the cotton is broken down into individual fibres and reformed into reels of paper of the quality required.

Stamp Duty Land Tax

Mark Prisk: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the proportion of leases which will pay (a) less stamp duty, (b) more stamp duty and (c) the same amount of stamp duty following the recent changes to the charging of stamp duty on leases.

Ruth Kelly: The effect of the introduction of Stamp Duty Land Tax on 1 December 2003 (including the effect of the changes announced recently) is:
	
		
			  Percentage 
		
		
			 Paying less duty (39)74 
			 Paying the same duty (40)15 
			 Paying more duty 11 
		
	
	(39) Of which 72 per cent. reduced to nil.
	(40) All of which currently pay nil.
	As a result of the increases in the thresholds for commercial and residential leases, from 1 December 2003, 87 per cent. of leases will pay no Stamp Duty Land Tax (compared with 15 per cent. who were exempt under stamp duty) and a further 2 per cent. will pay less Stamp Duty Land Tax than they would have paid stamp duty.
	As a result of the changes, only 11 per cent. of leases will pay more Stamp Duty Land Tax than they would have paid stamp duty.

Stamp Duty Land Tax

Mark Prisk: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the effect of changes to the charging of stamp duty on leases on the (a) retail sector and (b) licensed trade.

Ruth Kelly: Detailed consultation with a wide variety of representative bodies, including those for the retail and licensed trade, were held both before and after publication of the Finance Bill 2003. Both during and after these meetings, much useful information was shared.
	Overall for commercial leases, the increase in the threshold from £60,000 to £150,000 will exempt 53 per cent. of the leases which would have paid stamp duty (in addition to the 9 per cent. of leases which currently pay no stamp duty) and the introduction of the 'slice' system will reduce the duty payable on another 5 per cent. of leases from that due under stamp duty.
	It is accepted that different sectors will be affected differently, according to the sectoral distribution of lease lengths and rentals. The percentage of leases in particular sectors which are newly exempt or will pay less under SDLT are highly sensitive to these factors.
	From data supplied by a representative body covering part of the licensed trade, analysis shows that, before 1 December 2003, 1.16 per cent.of leases taken out by its members were exempt whilst, if these leases were to be taken out on or after 1 December 2003, 37.43 per cent. would be exempt (for those leases within the data supplied.)

Tax Credits

David Laws: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  what his latest estimate is of expenditure on each tax credit in each year from 2003–04 to 2005–06; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  if he will list the types of tax credits (a) provided by and (b) planned to be introduced by the Government giving their cost in each case in each year from 1997–98 to 2005–06; and if he will make a statement.

Dawn Primarolo: I refer the hon. Member to my answer to the hon. Member for Havant on 16 May 2003, Official Report, column 489W.
	Further information on Government expenditure on tax credits was set out in Chapter A of the Financial Statement and Budget Report 2003, and can also be found on the Inland Revenue National Statistics website: http://www.inlandrevenue.gov.uk/stats.
	The information will be updated in the Pre-Budget Report.

Tax Credits

Archy Kirkwood: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the number and proportion of families that are likely to have to repay a proportion of their tax credits due to reassessment of their income.

Dawn Primarolo: I refer the hon. Gentleman to the answer given by my right hon. Friend the Chief Secretary to the Treasury on 27 October 2003, Official Report, column 37W, to the hon. Member for Northavon (Mr. Webb).

Working Tax Credit

Elfyn Llwyd: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many representations he has received since 1 May on the 30 hour earnings rule applied to working tax credit; and if he will make a statement.

Dawn Primarolo: Entitlement to Working Tax Credit depends on a person being in "qualifying remunerative work". Claimants with responsibility for a child or qualifying young person, or who are disabled, must work for at least 16 hours a week to qualify for Working Tax Credit. Working Tax Credit extends in-work support to workers without children or a disability, provided they are aged at least 25 and work for 30 or more hours a week.
	Since 1 May 2003. Treasury Ministers have received a small number of letters from hon. Members on the hours rules in Working Tax Credit.

VAT

Mark Oaten: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what receipts his Department received in respect of VAT on new (a) buildings and (b) schools during the last three years.

John Healey: The information requested is not available. Traders' VAT returns contain no information on the items upon which VAT is charged.

VAT (Audio Books)

Clive Soley: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what his policy is on the removal of value added tax on audio books used by the visually impaired; and if he will make a statement.

John Healey: The Government recognises the importance of audio books to the visually impaired. Audiotapes and other specially designed equipment for visually impaired people are free from VAT. However, under long-standing formal agreements with our European partners, the UK is not permitted to extend the scope of this zero rate or to introduce any new ones.

WORK AND PENSIONS

Rail Safety (Overcrowding)

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what steps the Government are taking to tackle the health hazards arising from overcrowded trains.

Tony McNulty: I have been asked to reply.
	The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) advise that there is no hard evidence about health hazards from overcrowded trains. HSE is a member of a steering group led by the Rail Safety and Standards Board which is beginning to look into the effects resulting from overcrowding on trains, and has an interest in similar Rail Passenger Council research.

Alcoholics

Jimmy Wray: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions 
	(1)  what financial allowance is available for recovering alcoholics; who qualifies for this help; and what other assistance is available;
	(2)  under what circumstances assistance to recovering alcoholics would be withdrawn; and how their eligibility for re-application is assessed.

Maria Eagle: People with disabilities and health problems, including alcohol-related problems, have full access to the services of Jobcentre Plus; regardless of which benefit, if any, is being claimed. In addition, Progress2work LinkUP pilots are now running in several areas across the country. These pilots will further develop our work-focused provision for disadvantaged groups such as alcohol misusers.
	Financial assistance may be available from the benefit system, depending on individual circumstances; for example, Disability Living Allowance may be awarded where a person has a requirement for personal care. Benefits may be withdrawn where the conditions of entitlement are no longer satisfied following a change of circumstances. Eligibility for a repeat claim is assessed according to individual circumstances at the time of making that claim.

Benefit Payments

John Barrett: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many pension and benefit recipients have been contacted regarding the transferring of the payment of their pension or benefit to direct payment; of these, how many have opted to have their pension or benefit paid into (a) a standard current bank or building society account, (b) the new bank or building society account and (c) a post office card account; and how many have failed to select an option.

Chris Pond: I refer the hon. Member to the Written Answer I gave the hon. Member for Gordon (Malcolm Bruce) on 28 October 2003, Official Report, column 207W.

Child Support Agency

Diana Organ: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will make a statement on progress in transferring Child Support Agency cases from the old system of calculation to the proposed new system.

Chris Pond: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave the hon. Member for Moray (Angus Robertson) on 16 September 2003, Official Report, columns 696–97W.

Child Support Agency

Graham Brady: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many prosecutions have been initiated in the last year for provision of false information to the Child Support Agency.

Chris Pond: Since April 2002 the Child Support Agency has initiated 15 prosecutions against clients for providing false information. Of the 14 prosecutions that have currently been heard in court the defendant was found guilty in every case.

Child Support Agency

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many complaints were received per month from Child Support Agency clients (a) in the six months previous to the introduction of the new child support system and (b) in the last three months, in the latter case identifying how many of the complaints came from (i) clients of the old system and (ii) clients of the new system; what percentage of total clients the complaints represented per month; and if he will make a statement.

Chris Pond: The administration of the Child Support Agency is a matter for the Chief Executive, Mr. Doug Smith. He will write to the hon. Member.
	Letter from Doug Smith to Mr. Angus Robertson, dated 27 October 2003
	The Secretary of State, in replying to your recent Parliamentary question about the Child Support Agency promised a substantive reply from the Chief Executive.
	You asked about the numbers of complaints received by the Agency in the 6 months prior to the introduction of the new child support system and in the last 3 months (identifying the number received from clients on the old and new systems) and what percentage of our total clients these figures equate to.
	The figures you requested are summarised in the following tables:
	
		Complaints received prior to the introduction of the new child support system
		
			 Month Number of complaints received Percentage oftotal clients 
		
		
			 September 1,238 0.11 
			 October 1,318 0.12 
			 November 1,263 0.12 
			 December 958 0.09 
			 January 1,316 0.12 
			 February 1,515 0.15 
			 Monthly Average 1,268 0.12 
		
	
	In April 2003 we changed our complaints handling processes. This has ensured the more accurate recording of complaints and ensured the recording for the first time of telephone complaints. I have included below information on written complaints only, for a more representative comparison.
	This new system has recorded the following number of complaints:
	
		Complaints received in the three months up to August 2003
		
			 Month Total complaints received Percentage of total clients Written complaints received Percentage of total clients 
		
		
			 June 2,174 0.21 1,666 0.16 
			 July 2,684 0.24 2,017 0.18 
			 August 2,320 0.19 1,725 0.14 
		
	
	It is not possible to make an exact split between complaints from clients within the old and new arrangements because the affairs of some clients span both.

Cold Weather Payments

Clive Betts: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions for how many days in each of the last five years Cold Weather Payments were made to residents whose homes were allocated to the (a) Leeds and (b) Nottingham weather stations.

Chris Pond: Cold Weather Payments (CWPs) provide extra help to vulnerable people towards the additional costs of heating which result from a period of very cold weather in the area where they live. If the average recorded or forecast temperatures fall to 0C or below over seven consecutive days, CWPs are automatically triggered. The payments continue to be made for each seven day period that the relevant temperature criteria are met.
	Since 1998–99 CWPs were made once, during 2001–02, to eligible residents whose homes were covered by the Leeds weather station. Over the same period, CWPs were made twice during 2000–01 and once during 2001–02 to eligible residents whose homes were covered by the Nottingham weather station.

Departmental Publications

Parmjit Dhanda: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how his Department decides which of its publications should be distributed for display in post offices.

Chris Pond: The decision as to which publications are displayed via the Post Office network is made within the Department's Communications Directorate.
	Senior managers meet at least every three months to agree the future publications and information to be displayed. The choice is driven by the needs of our customers and is closely linked both to the calendar year and the timing of other marketing work happening across the Department. An example of this is the display of posters and provision of leaflets from October 2003 to April 2004 in support of the Winter Fuel Campaign.
	Bi-lingual versions of the agreed publications are provided to Post Offices in Wales.

Employee Pension Rights

Derek Wyatt: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will make a statement on procedures to protect employee pension rights in cases of employer insolvency due to fraud, with particular reference to requirements under the 1980 Insolvency Directive.

Malcolm Wicks: holding answer 28 October 2003
	The Pensions Compensation Board helps members of occupational pension schemes where the assets of the scheme have been reduced through dishonesty and the employer is insolvent. This is an important protection for scheme members and will act as a last resort for schemes seeking to restore their funding position.
	As stated in the Green Paper ("Simplicity, security and choice: Working and saving for retirement", December 2002), we intend to increase protection to those schemes that suffer from acts of dishonesty where the employer is insolvent. In future these pension schemes will be compensated for the full amount lost.
	The new Pension Protection Fund will ensure greater protection for members in all cases of insolvency, not just those that arise due to fraud.
	We take our obligations under Article 8 of the Insolvency Directive seriously and the European Commission has confirmed that we have met those obligations.

Employment Statistics

John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people have found work to date in 2003, broken down by progress to work area.

Des Browne: The information has been placed in the Library.

Employers Liability Insurance(Construction Sector)

Henry Bellingham: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions when he next plans to meet the National Federation of Roofing Contractors to discuss insurance premiums.

Des Browne: Officials from the Department met representatives of the National Federation of Roofing Contractors (NFRC) and other small businesses in the construction sector with the Department of Trade and Industry and the Office of Fair Trading to talk about the difficulties in the Employers' Liability Insurance market on 20 February 2003.
	Although the Department has no plans at present for a further meeting specifically with the NFRC, the Department's Ministers continue to meet with construction interests, most recently with the Construction Confederation on 28 October.
	We are aware of the good work that the NFRC has been doing in responding to the difficulties that its members have been encountering in seeking to obtain Employers' Liability Insurance at a reasonable price.

Minimum Income Guarantee

Steve Webb: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many pensioners with dependent children were receiving the Minimum Income Guarantee in 2002–03.

Malcolm Wicks: At the date of the final quarterly survey in 2002–03, the number of claimants receiving the Minimum Income Guarantee with dependants under the age of 19 was 28,600.
	Notes: 1. Figures have been rounded to the nearest hundred. 2. Figures are based on a 5 per cent. sample, and are therefore subject to a degree of sampling variation. 3. MIG recipients are defined as Income Support benefit units where the claimant, and/or partner is aged 60 or over.
	Source: IAD Information Centre, 5 per cent sample, February 2003

Opportunity for All Report

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the cost was of (a) preparing, (b) printing and (c) distributing Opportunity for All Fifth Annual Report 2003, Annual Report on Health, Poverty and Social Exclusion.

Chris Pond: Opportunity for all—Fifth Annual Report 2003 (Cm 5956) sets out the Government's strategy for tackling poverty and social exclusion.
	The production, printing and distribution of the report, including its summary and alternative formats, cost approximately £90,000 in total.
	The report was produced by the Department for Work and Pensions but is based on contributions from a wide range of officials across other UK Government Departments and the Devolved Administrations. Determining the overall cost of preparing the report in terms of staff time could therefore be achieved only at disproportionate expense.
	The report is available in the Library.

Pension Credit

David Willetts: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if an individual who has recently purchased an annuity he deems to have voluntarily deprived themselves of capital in order to succeed in making a claim for pension credit.

Malcolm Wicks: Pension credit is designed to target more money on the poorest pensioners and to reward those making modest provision for their retirement. Where an individual has disposed of capital, consideration may be given as to whether the expenditure was reasonable in the circumstances of the case.
	The main purpose of this is to guard against people giving away capital, (or an income) to increase entitlement. However, it is not necessarily the case that a pensioner would be able to increase their entitlement by purchasing an annuity. The actual income generated by the annuity would be taken into account whereas if the money was treated as capital the first £6,000 would be ignored.
	If a person purchased a deferred annuity, (or another product which does not give them an income straightaway) for example, the deprivation rule may be considered in the light of the considerable body of case-law which has developed on similarly worded provisions.

Pension Credit

David Willetts: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions whether his Department deems an individual who has had a claim for pension credit turned down but then purchases (a) a level annuity, (b) an index-linked annuity, (c) a deferred annuity and (d) a single premium whole life insurance policy to have voluntarily deprived themselves of capital in order to succeed in making a claim for pension credit.

Malcolm Wicks: An individual may be treated as still possessing capital in any of these circumstances, but it is not necessarily the case that they will be.
	Decisions are made in the light of the circumstances of each case and the considerable body of case-law which has developed on similarly worded provisions.

Pension Credit

Lindsay Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many pensioners have received an increase in their entitlement under the pension credit scheme in (a) Chorley, (b) the North West and (c) the UK.

Malcolm Wicks: The information requested is not available for Chorley or the North West region.
	Around half of all pensioner households will be eligible for Pension Credit and stand to gain on average £400 a year (around £7 a week).
	As my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State reported on 14 October 2003, Official Report, column 5WS, around 1.9 million pensioner households have already been awarded Pension Credit and over 1.15 million pensioners households will get more money than they would have before.

Pension Credit

Lindsay Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many pensioners he estimates have yet to apply through the pension credit scheme in (a) Chorley, (b) the North West and (c) the UK; and what efforts are being made to simplify the pension credit process to make it easier for pensioners to claim their entitlement.

Malcolm Wicks: The information is not available in the format requested but we estimate that around 500,000 pensioner households in the North West and Merseyside are eligible for Pension Credit.
	The application process has been designed to be straightforward. All pensioners need do is ring our Pension Credit Application Line. Calls are free on 0800 991234 (apart from some mobiles). The Pension Service then sends the completed application form to pensioners to check, sign and return, together with any necessary documentation. The Pension Service is able to offer alternative ways of applying to suit individual circumstances, including a textphone number and a paper application form. An application form can be downloaded from the Pension Credit website at www.thepensionservice.gov.uk. Pensioners can also be put in touch with The Pension Service's local service and can be seen face-to-face either in a local surgery or, where appropriate, in the pensioner's home.
	The Pension Service provides a wide range of information and support on benefits to older people through our network of local service surgeries. Local Pension Service surgeries are held on a regular basis across all areas of the country, often in partnership with other organisations such as local authorities and Age Concern. Details of the most convenient surgery for individual pensioners and their carers can be obtained by telephoning 0845 60 60 2 65.
	The Pension Service wrote to all hon. Members at the end of July providing a full list of surgeries and opening times in individual constituencies; however I am happy to list here the regular surgeries that take place in the Chorley area:
	Chorley One Stop shop, Council Offices, Union Street
	Eccleston Library
	Fosterfields Day Centre', Eaves Lane
	Clayton Green Library
	Buxton Library
	Belmont Day Ward, Chorley Hospital
	Adlington Library
	Coppull Library

Pension Credit

Keith Bradley: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate he has made of the number of residents in the Manchester, Withington constituency who (a) qualify for pension credit and (b) have so far applied for pension credit.

Malcolm Wicks: The information is not available in the format requested.
	Around half of all pensioner households will be eligible for pension credit and stand to gain on average £400 a year (around £7 a week).
	As at May 2003, the number of minimum income guarantee recipients in Manchester Withington was around £3,200. These are the latest figures available.
	We intend from November to publish monthly reports on the progress of pension credit take-on, which will include information on the number of applications.
	Notes:
	1. The MIG figure has been rounded to the nearest hundred.
	2. The MIG figure is based on a 5 per cent. sample, and therefore subject to a degree of sampling variation.
	3. Government office region/parliamentary constituency are assigned by matching postcodes against the relevant ONS postcode directory.
	4. MIG recipients are defined as income support benefit units where the claimant, and/or partner is aged 60 or over.
	Source:
	IAD Information Centre, 5 per cent. sample

Pension Credit

Bill Tynan: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people in (a) Scotland and (b) the Hamilton, South constituency he estimates are entitled to (i) the income-related element and (ii) the savings-related element of the Pension Credit.

Malcolm Wicks: The information is not available in the format requested.
	As at May 2003, the number of Minimum Income Guarantee recipients in Hamilton, South was around 2,800. These are the latest figures available.
	Around 400,000 pensioner households are eligible for Pension Credit in Scotland.
	We intend from November to publish monthly reports on the progress of Pension Credit take-on, which will include information on the number of successful applications.
	Notes:
	1. The MIG figure has been rounded to the nearest hundred.
	2. The MIG figure is based on a 5 per cent. sample, and therefore subject to a degree of sampling variation.
	3. Government office region/parliamentary constituency are assigned by matching postcodes against the relevant ONS postcode directory.
	4. MIG recipients are defined as Income Support benefit units where the claimant, and/or partner is aged 60 or over.
	Source:
	IAD Information Centre, 5 per cent. sample.

Pension Credit

Andrew Love: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will make a statement on administrative problems which have occurred for pensioners accessing Pension Credit.

Malcolm Wicks: There have been no administrative problems which have significantly affected pensioners' ability to apply for Pension Credit. The Pension Credit application line (0800 99 1234), which is the main method of applying, is working well and has taken over 1.1 million calls since it became operational on 7 April. Calls are free (except for some mobile phones) and friends and family can use the application line and apply on pensioners' behalf if they are unable to make the call themselves. The Pension Service is able to offer alternative ways of applying to suit individual circumstances, including a textphone number and a paper application form. An application form can be downloaded from the Pension Credit website at www.thepensionservice.gov.uk. Pensioners can also be put in touch with The Pension Service's local service and can be seen face to face either in a local surgery or, where appropriate, in the pensioner's home. Our marketing campaign, at the heart of which is a direct mail pack to pensioner households, is designed to produce a steady build up of Pension Credit applications. I refer the hon. Member to the written statement given by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State (Mr. Andrew Smith) on 14 October 2003, Official Report, column 5WS.

Pension Credit

Barry Gardiner: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what increase in expenditure on pensions in the parliamentary constituency of Brent North has resulted from the introduction of pension credits.

Malcolm Wicks: The information is not available in the format requested. Around half of all pensioner households will be eligible for pension credit and stand to gain on average £400 a year (around £7 a week).
	It is estimated that pension credit will cost around an extra £2 billion a year.

Pension Credit

Barry Gardiner: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions for how many pensioners in the parliamentary constituency of Brent, North there will be an increase in their pension as a result of the introduction of the Pension Credit.

Malcolm Wicks: The information is not available in the format requested.
	As at May 2003, the number of Minimum Income Guarantee recipients in Brent, North was around 2,400. These are the latest figures available.
	Around 1.9 million pensioner households have already been awarded Pension Credit and over 1.1 million pensioner households will get more money than they would have before.
	We intend from November to publish monthly reports on the progress of Pension Credit take-on, which will include information on the number of successful applications.
	Notes:
	1. The MIG figure has been rounded to the nearest hundred.
	2. The MIG figure is based on a 5 per cent. sample, and therefore subject to a degree of sampling variation.
	3. Government office region/parliamentary constituency are assigned by matching postcodes against the relevant ONS postcode directory.
	4. MIG recipients are defined as Income Support benefit units where the claimant, and/or partner is aged 60 or over.
	Source:
	IAD Information Centre, 5 per cent. sample.

Pensioners' Benefits

David Willetts: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate he has made of public expenditure on (a) disability and (b) carers' benefits for pensioners as a percentage of gross domestic product in (i) 1997–98, (ii) 2002–03, (iii) 2010, (iv) 2020, (v) 2030, (vi) 2040, (vii) 2050 and (viii) for other years for which estimates have been made.

Maria Eagle: The information requested is in the table.
	
		Projected expenditure on disability and carers' benefits -- Percentage of Gross Domestic Product
		
			  1997–98 2002–03 2010–11 2020–21 2030–31 2040–41 2050–51 
		
		
			 Disability benefits 0.47 0.52 0.54 0.49 0.48 0.45 0.38 
			 Carers' benefits (41)— 0.01 0.01 0.01 0.01 0.01 0.01 
		
	
	(41) Values lower than 0.005 per cent of GDP.
	Notes:
	1. Disability benefits are Disability Living Allowance and Attendance Allowance.
	2. Carers' benefits cover Carers' Allowance only.
	3. Projections are those underlying the Budget 2003 Economic and Fiscal Strategy Report, Annex A.
	4. Gross Domestic Product assumptions up to 2005–06 are as underlying the Budget 2003 Economic and Fiscal Strategy Report, thereafter real economic growth is assumed to be 2.0 per cent. per year.
	5. Current government policy on uprating of benefits is assumed throughout.
	6. Expenditure is for Great Britain.
	7. Figures are rounded to the nearest 0.01 per cent. of Gross Domestic Product.

Pensioners' Benefits

David Willetts: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate he has made of public expenditure on (a) the basic state pension, (b) SERPS and (c) the state second pension as a percentage of gross domestic product in (i) 1997–98, (ii) 2002–03, (iii) 2010, (iv) 2020, (v) 2030, (vi) 2040, (vii) 2050 and (viii) for other years for which estimates have been made.

Malcolm Wicks: The information requested is in the table.
	
		Projected expenditure on basic state pension, Serps and second state pension -- Percentage of gross domestic product
		
			  1997–98 2002–03 2010–11 2020–21 2030–31 2040–41 2050–51 
		
		
			 Basic state pension 3.7 3.6 3.5 3.1 3.2 2.9 2.4 
			 SERPS 0.4 0.6 0.8 0.8 0.6 0.4 0.2 
			 Second state pension 0 0 0.1 0.2 0.5 0.9 1.5 
		
	
	Notes:
	1. Figures for 2010 onward are consistent with the Government Actuary's Quinquennial Review of the National Insurance Fund laid before parliament on 27 October 2003. 1997/98 is based on DWP outturn information and 2002–03 is based on estimated outturn information.
	2. All figures expressed as a percentage of Gross Domestic Product
	3. Expenditure is for Great Britain
	4. The amounts shown for SERPS and Second State Pension in the above table only include projected expenditure on additional retirement pension. Amounts paid with incapacity benefit and widows'/survivors' benefits are excluded. Expenditure on contracted-out rebates, for employees who contract-out of second state pension, is not included in the figures shown above.
	5. All projections assume current government policy remains in place until the end of the period. The estimates for basic state pension are based on uprating (in April) of an average 0.25 per cent. above the relevant (previous September) 12 months' Retail Price Index. This is to reflect the current policy for uprating the basic state pension by 2.5 per cent. in years where RPI uprating would be lower than 2.5 per cent.

Pensions (Direct Payment)

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many pensioners responded to the first letter from his Department regarding nomination of an account into which future pension payments could be made; and how many did not.

Chris Pond: We do not have the information requested. This information could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
	Key figures on the progress of conversion to Direct Payment are available in the Library updated every four weeks.

Pensions/Minimum Income Guarantee

Barry Gardiner: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what increase in Government spending on (a) pensions and (b) the minimum income guarantee there has been in Brent North since 1997.

Malcolm Wicks: The information that is available is in the table.
	
		£ million
		
			  1997–98 1998–99 1999–2000 2000–01 2001–02 2002–03 
		
		
			  Expenditure on Income Support for the Under 60s/Minimum Income Guarantee 
			 Great Britain 3,773 3,619 3,781 4,095 4,486 4,481 
			 Brent North 8 8 8 9 10 10 
			
			  Expenditure on State Retirement Pensions 
			 Great Britain 33,557 35,575 37,775 38,718 41,893 44,346 
			 Brent North — — 40 41 44 47 
		
	
	Notes
	Estimates are based on a combination of samples of 5 per cent. of benefit recipients and Great Britain out-turn expenditure data.
	Figures are in nominal terms.
	Figures for state retirement pension in Brent North are unavailable prior to 1999–2000.
	Figures for 2002–03 are based on estimated expenditure, as at Budget 2003.

Bereavement Benefits

Parmjit Dhanda: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what steps have been taken in the last 12 months to ensure that information about (a) bereavement pension and (b) bereavement payment is available as widely as possible.

Chris Pond: Information is available from local Jobcentre Plus and Social Security offices, and the Department for Work and Pensions website gives information about Bereavement Benefits together with leaflets and claim forms for downloading. A fully revised version of leaflet NP45 'A guide to Bereavement Benefit' for professional advisers and members of the public was published in May this year. Leaflets D49 "What to do after a death in England and Wales" and D49S "What to do after a death in Scotland" are reviewed and revised as necessary annually.
	In addition, we have been working with funeral directors, Registrars and voluntary groups such as Cruse, National Association of Widows and Citizens Advice Bureaux who may be contacted by bereaved people.
	We have worked with Registrars to amend the social security form for notifying the Department of a death (BD8) to draw greater attention to the fact that it can be used to initiate a claim for bereavement benefits, this went to print in April 2003 and has been in use by Registrars since then. Within the last year we have also arranged for Funeral Directors to be able to obtain Bereavement Benefit claim packs so that they can be given directly to bereaved people.
	We keep under review the way that information is made available about bereavement benefits so that bereaved people, at this very difficult time in their lives, know about their potential right to benefit and can act on it at the right time.

Sign Languages

Malcolm Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will place in the Library a copy of the submission of the Government to the Bureau of the Steering Committee on Education (Council of Europe) outlining its proposals and position statement on the legal recognition of sign languages.

Maria Eagle: Yes.

Stakeholder Pensions

Gregory Barker: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many new stakeholder pensions have been taken up by individuals (a) without any other form of occupation pension provision and (b) from the initial target group of those earning between £10,000 and £20,000 a year.

Malcolm Wicks: The information requested in (a) is not available. Information relating to (b) is contained in the following table.
	
		
			 Annual earnings of stakeholderpension policy holders Number of stakeholder pension sales by earnings group in 2001–02 tax year 
		
		
			 Under £10,000 200,000 
			 £10,000 to £20,000 330,000 
			 £20,000 to £30,000 160,000 
			 £30,000 to £40,000 40,000 
			 £40,000 to £50,000 10,000 
			 £50,000 to £60,000 10,000 
			 £60,000 and above 20,000 
		
	
	Notes:
	1. 60,000 of sales were to people not in work (e.g. children, spouses, the unemployed and pensioners).
	2. Numbers do not sum to total sales in tax year because of rounding of information bands to the nearest 10,000.
	3. Earned income data is derived from the Survey of Personal Incomes (SPI) and consists of all income chargeable under Schedule E (mainly pay, private and occupational pensions, retirement annuities and state retirement pensions) Schedule D Cases I and II (self-employment income), and miscellaneous other earnings.
	4. The SPI is a representative sample of nearly 200,000 individuals, drawn from the Revenue's Self Assessment, Pay As You Earn and Claims systems. Where we have been able to match these individuals to the SPI, primarily those with earned income, the totals in the tables are based on this sample.
	Source:
	Inland Revenue data for 2001–02 tax year

Unemployment Benefits

Jimmy Wray: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what range of benefits is available for those unable to find a job; under what circumstances are these benefits withdrawn; and what compulsory tasks the unemployed are asked to do in searching and applying for jobs.

Des Browne: The main benefit available to people seeking work is Jobseeker's Allowance. They may also be able to receive Housing Benefit, Council Tax Benefit and Disability benefits depending on their particular circumstances. Child Benefit and Child Tax Credits can be claimed by all families with children.
	In order to receive Jobseeker's Allowance a person must be available for and actively seeking work. When they make a claim for Jobseeker's Allowance they agree the steps they will take to actively seek work. This is recorded on their Jobseeker's Agreement and reviewed on a regular basis. Jobseekers may also have to comply with a Jobseeker's Direction issued by their Adviser. This could be, for example, apply for a specific job vacancy or to attend a training course. Failure to comply with these requests without good cause could lead to a benefit sanction.
	Before a sanction is applied an independent Decision Maker will consider statements from the jobseeker and their Personal Adviser, together with the Jobseeker's Agreement and any other evidence supplied by the jobseeker. If benefit is disallowed the jobseeker is advised of their right to have the decision reconsidered or to appeal.
	Details of the steps that Jobseeker's are required to take are set out in Volume 4, Chapter 21, Paragraphs 21826 to 21828 of the Decision Makers Guide a copy of which is available in the Library.

Winter Fuel Payment

Steve Webb: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will estimate how many people who became newly entitled for the 2003–04 winter fuel payment and who needed to make a claim before 19 September in order to receive their payment before Christmas failed to do so; and what the value was of such payments.

Malcolm Wicks: We estimate that for winter 2003–04, there could be around 600,000 people newly entitled to a Winter Fuel Payment. Around half of these will need to claim because they will not be in receipt of a relevant benefit which qualifies them for an automatic payment.
	By 19 September 2003, around 170,000 claim forms had been received and processed for payment, although some of these may have been from people entitled to an automatic payment. However, since then a further 24,000 claims were received and processed for payment.
	We are unable to provide any reliable estimate of the value of unclaimed winter fuel payments because some people aged 60 or over are excluded, others choose not to claim and payments are based on household composition.
	Where a person needs to claim, it is up to them whether they do so, and we publicise the availability of these payments. They have until 30 March 2004 to make their claim for this winter.

Workplace Diseases

Barry Gardiner: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will take steps to limit liability in employers' liability cases involving workplace diseases to the date of the publication in medical journals of research showing clear links between workplace practices and diseases.

Des Browne: We do not have any plans to introduce such a system.

INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Afghanistan

Malcolm Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how much the United Kingdom has contributed to Afghanistan in each year since 2000; and what percentage of these amounts has gone towards (a) reconstruction, (b) military purposes and (c) emergency aid in each year.

Hilary Benn: Since 2000 the UK has provided 687 million to Afghanistan. Distinctions between reconstruction or development assistance, and emergency or humanitarian assistance are problematic, especially in situations like Afghanistan after the initial emergency in 2001 was over. For example, assistance managed by our Humanitarian Affairs department to support re-opening of schools or the immunisation of children, clearly has an immediate effect as well as contributing to longer-term development.
	In the financial year 2000–2001 £5 million was spent on humanitarian assistance. There was no spend for military or reconstruction work.
	In financial year 2001–2002 out of £265 million provided by the UK, £45 million (17 per cent.) was spent on humanitarian and reconstruction assistance. Most of this went to humanitarian needs because our reconstruction effort was just beginning. £220 million (83 per cent.) was spent on military operations.
	In financial year 2002–2003 the UK contributed a total of £396 million. £86 million (21 per cent.) was spent on humanitarian and reconstruction assistance. This was shared roughly equally between humanitarian assistance and reconstruction. £310 million (79 per cent.) towards supporting military operations in Afghanistan.
	In the current financial year the UK, to date, have provided £26 million for humanitarian assistance and reconstruction. The great majority of these funds have focused on reconstruction. This years figures for expenditure in support of military operations in Afghanistan will be published in the Winter Supplementary Estimates.

Afghanistan

Llew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assistance is being provided to train Afghan women as (a) nurses, (b) doctors and (c) other medical professionals; in what parts of Afghanistan such assistance is being provided; what resources have been committed in support of such training; and over what time period.

Hilary Benn: The Department for International Development has provided some technical assistance to the Ministry of Health in Afghanistan but is not directly involved in the training of medical professionals.
	The Afghanistan Ministry of Health has estimated a budget of $173 million to implement several national health programmes this year. More than $130 million has been already committed by donors, including the European Community, to which DFID contributes 19 per cent., for these programmes. Most of these programmes are nationwide. These programmes incorporate training components including the training of women. However, a breakdown showing training and resources targeted specifically at women is not currently available.

AIDS, TB and Malaria

Andrew Hunter: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if he will make a statement on the effectiveness of the Global Fund to fight AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria.

Mr. Gareth Thomas: The UK has a long-term financial commitment to the Global Fund to Fight HIV/AIDS, TB and Malaria which will provide the fund with a total contribution of $280 million by 2008. It is too early to judge the effectiveness of the fund in combating these key diseases of poverty. We are working closely with the fund to ensure it has effective working procedures so that it can meet its overall goals.
	We have therefore made it clear that UK funding will be subject to the GFATM reflecting a clear poverty focus, achieving a better financing system, integrating the fund's activities more effectively with national programmes and meeting agreed benchmarks to monitor its effectiveness. I am pleased to report that good progress was made at the recent sixth board meeting in Thailand on many of these issues.

Angola

John Barrett: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what estimate he has made of the impact of delays in the shipment of food aid to Angola on the humanitarian situation in the country.

Hilary Benn: The principal provider of food aid in Angola is the World Food Programme. WFP's current programme began in July 2002 and is due to end in December this year. It is 90 per cent. funded. The operation has both emergency relief and recovery, or rehabilitation, elements.
	We understand that due to delayed international maize shipments, the World Food Programme (WFP) is expecting shortfalls in cereals during November and December. The World Food Programme will continue to give priority to the sick and malnourished under social and nutritional programmes and these vulnerable groups will continue to receive full rations. This will minimise the negative humanitarian effects of the disruption of deliveries. However, there will be reduced availability of food aid for rehabilitation and recovery programmes.
	At the end of 2002 DFID contributed £2 million to WFP in food aid in Angola, in response to their appeal for assistance with the food pipeline. We continue to closely monitor the humanitarian situation in Angola and will respond to urgent humanitarian needs.

Botswana

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if he will make a statement on the (a) aim, (b) structure and (c) methods of the European Union projects in Botswana to which his Department makes a financial contribution with particular reference to the effect their implementation (i) has and (ii) has had on the Gana and Gwi; and if he will make a statement.

Hilary Benn: Along with other EU member states DFID contributes to the European Development Fund (EDF), which supports projects in Botswana on the basis of a strategy agreed between the EU and the Government of Botswana. The strategy for the period 2001–07 highlights the challenges of poverty, unemployment and HIV/AIDS, and commits the EU to focus its programme mainly on human resource development. The strategy recognises that poverty is especially prevalent among those living in the remotest parts of Botswana and among ethnic minorities, but does not contain specific objectives for the impact of the EU programme on particular ethnic groups.

Burundi

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assessment his Department has made of the security situation in each of Burundi's provinces since 1997; what impact the developments have had on the access of aid workers to each region; and if he will make a statement.

Hilary Benn: The security situation in Burundi remains unstable and fluctuates according to each province. Access for aid workers is severely constrained and both sides have tried to manipulate humanitarian assistance by controlling access.
	However, with the recent positive development in Burundi with the signing of the Pretoria Protocol on 8 October on power sharing between the FDD (Nkurunziza) and the Government of Burundi it is hoped that there will eventually be some improvement. We will continue to monitor the situation.
	The Foreign and Commonwealth Office provides updated Travel Advice on Burundi on its website. We always recommend reading this before travelling to Burundi.

Burundi

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assessment his Department has made of the peace accord signed in October by the President of Burundi and Pierre Nkurunziza of the Forces for the Defence of Democracy; what his assessment his Department has made of the impact the accord has so far had on (a) internally displaced people and (b) refugees from Burundi in neighbouring countries; and if he will make a statement.

Hilary Benn: The UK welcomes the signing of the Pretoria Protocol on 8 October between the FDD (Nkurunziza) and the Government of Burundi. This is a positive step towards implementation of the 2 December 2002 ceasefire agreement between the two parties. Further talks to resolve outstanding issues including an implementation timetable, immunity, army integration and registering the FDD as a political party, are due to take place soon. The UK is working with the Government of Burundi and our international partners to ensure momentum is not lost.
	As this accord is part of an on-going peace process, there has as yet been very little tangible effect on internally displaced people and refugees from Burundi in neighbouring countries.

Burundi

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how many people have (a) been internally displaced in Burundi and (b) became refugees from Burundi in (i) Tanzania and (ii) Rwanda in each year since 1997, what projects aimed at these people his Department has funded; and if he will make a statement.

Hilary Benn: United Nations Office for the Co-ordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA) gives the following figures for the total numbers of Internally Displaced People in Burundi since 1999. We have not been able to establish what proportion have been newly displaced in each year:
	December 1999—808,004
	November 2000—524,055
	October 2001—632,809
	February 2002—475,509
	June 2002—487,469
	The United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) gives the following figures for the numbers of Burundi refugees in Rwanda and Tanzania since 1997:
	1997—6,900
	1998—1,400
	1999—1,400
	2000—1,000
	2001—1,700
	2002—1,554
	2003—1,207
	Figures for numbers of refugees in Tanzania are as follows:
	1997—459,400
	1998—473,800
	1999—499,000
	2000—438,400
	2001—521,200
	2002—370,861
	2003—353,132
	Our assistance to internally displaced people and refugees is covered under our humanitarian response to the needs of those most vulnerable. This focuses on health and nutrition support through international relief organisations. So far this financial year we have provided funding of £400,000 through Medecins Sans Frontieres for medical support in Bujumbura Rural and nutrition programmes in Karuzi. We are about to make a contribution of £500,000 to the UN Consolidated Inter-Agency Appeal 2003, and are currently considering further proposals from other international NGOs and agencies.

Locusts (North Africa)

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assessment his Department has made of the danger posed to (a) Algerian, (b) Mauritanian, (c) Sudanese, (d) Niger and (e) Moroccan crops by the reported increase in migratory desert locusts in North Africa; what impact this has had on (i) food stocks in and (ii) humanitarian aid allocated to the area; and if he will make a statement.

Hilary Benn: The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) is monitoring the situation in North Africa closely. On 17 October, they issued an alert regarding desert locust outbreaks in Mauritania, Niger and Sudan. Since then an outbreak has also been reported in Mali. FAO are aware that southern Algeria, southern Morocco and the Red Sea coastal plains could also be at risk in the coming weeks.
	FAO are assisting national Governments in the region to respond to the threat through their Emergency Prevention System, which was set up in 1994 to help Governments control locust outbreaks in their early stages. The outbreaks have not yet had any significant impact on crops or food stocks and there has been no call for humanitarian assistance. The UK is in close touch with FAO on the issue and will carefully consider any calls for further assistance.

Democratic Republic of the Congo

John Barrett: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assistance he will provide to restart the investigation and trial of those responsible for the November 2002 massacres of civilians in Ankoro, in northern Katanga Province of the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Hilary Benn: We are providing £700,000 in assistance to the Transition Institutions of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), which include the President and Vice Presidents, the Parliament, the Senate, the Supreme Court, the Assembly and five Democracy Support Commissions (Elections, Human Rights, Anti-Corruption, Media and Truth and Reconciliation). We are also providing technical support to a European Community-led mission on the justice sector.
	These are all part of our effort to help end human rights abuses that have been so prevalent in the DRC for such a long time. We are not providing any specific assistance regarding restarting the investigation and trial of those involved in the November 2002 massacre in Ankoro.
	On the humanitarian side, we are providing £420,000 to Action Against Hunger to carry out an Emergency Nutritional Programme in Katanga Province. We are planning to provide funding through the International Rescue Committee for a basic health services programme in five provinces of DRC, including in northern Katanga.

East Africa

John Barrett: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what action he will take in response to the report of 15 October of the United Nations Food and Agricultural Organisation on expected harvests in East Africa.

Hilary Benn: The Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) Foodcrops and Shortages report of October 2003 presents a mixed picture of prospects in East Africa. In general production is expected to be better than last year. FAO judges, however, that in a number of countries low production is anticipated. This is expected to lead to the requirement for international assistance in the form of food aid.
	The FAO reports are an important element in building up a picture of likely humanitarian needs. As one of the largest contributors of humanitarian assistance, including food aid, in Africa, we use the FAO reports, along with other evidence from Government, INGO and UN sources to target our humanitarian response.

ECOWAS

Barry Gardiner: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development whether his Department will offer (a) funding and (b) other support to ECOWAS in its attempts to establish a small arms unit in Abuja, Nigeria.

Hilary Benn: DFID recognises that more needs to be done to assist ECOWAS and its member states to combat small arms problems in West Africa. Currently the department is not funding ECOWAS in this area, but it is planning to meet with other donors and with the ECOWAS Secretariat in the forthcoming months to discuss the issue in more detail.

Ethiopia

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what his policy is on the resettlement by the Ethiopian government in the Southern Nations, Nationalities and People's Region; and if he will make a statement.

Hilary Benn: I refer the hon. member for Meriden to the answer that I provided her on 6 October 2003, Official Report, column 1009W.

Food Aid Programmes

Huw Edwards: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if he will make it his policy not to use GM products in food aid programmes until further evaluation has been conducted of the long-term effects of GM products (a) throughout the food chain and (b) for direct consumption by humans.

Hilary Benn: DFID's approach to GM food and developing countries is based on the principle that both the health of people and the environment are of primary concern. Developing countries are entitled to make their own informed choices about whether or not to adopt GM technologies, and to build the capacity to manage their safe development and use. The following principles are therefore employed in relation to UK food aid contributions:
	Recipient governments should be given adequate information on the type of food they receive and its characteristics, including whether genetically modified;
	Recipient governments should be allowed to decide on its acceptability; and
	Donors should accept the decisions of recipients and accommodate them as far as possible. For example, if milled cereals are preferred rather than whole grain to avoid GM grain being planted as seed then this should be arranged.
	While respecting the need and sovereign right of recipient governments to take an informed decision, I believe that issues raised by GM crops do need to continue to be addressed separately.

Food Initiatives

Huw Edwards: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what recent assessment he has made of the impact that humanitarian aid in the form of food initiatives can have on local markets in developing countries.

Hilary Benn: Food aid can be vital for saving lives during humanitarian crisis but inappropriately used it also has the potential to disrupt local markets, investment and food production. We have not undertaken a general assessment of the impact of humanitarian food aid initiatives on local markets in developing countries recently. However this is one of a number of issues considered by DFID when planning humanitarian aid interventions and when monitoring and reviewing individual programmes.

Generic Drugs

Martin Caton: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what action his Department is taking to make generic drugs available for treatment in developing countries.

Hilary Benn: The UK Government are committed to increasing access to medicines in the developing world. The factors recognised by the World Health Organization (WHO) that can improve poor peoples' access are; affordable pricing, sustainable financing, reliable health and supply systems and the rational selection and use of existing drugs.
	Clare Short chaired a UK high level working group on Increasing Access to Essential Medicines in the Developing World, which examined the factors above in detail. The working group made a series of recommendations for action, which are being taken forward by a number of major stakeholders.
	The UK has played a leading role in setting up initiatives such as the Global Fund to fight AIDS, TB and malaria (GFATM), which supply both generic and patented drugs. We want to play our part in making the Global Fund an effective instrument in the fight against AIDS, TB and malaria and recognise that to do this, it needs predictable and sustainable financing. With this in mind, the UK pledged an additional US$80 million to the GFATM (US$40 million per annum over two further years). This will extend our current commitment to 2008 and bring our total contribution to the GFATM to US$280 million. Our funding will be subject to the GFATM achieving a better financing system, agreed benchmarks to monitor effectiveness, and to improve integration of the fund's activities with national programmes. This is one of a range of mechanisms for tackling HIV/AIDS; the UK also works with other partnerships, such as the Global TB drug Facility, that procure both generic and patented drugs.
	In addition an agreement was reached at the recent World Trade Organization (WTO) ministerial conference in Cancun in September that will enable poor countries with no, or insufficient, manufacturing capacity in the pharmaceutical sector to import generic versions of patented medicines. The UK Government worked to secure this agreement and believe it to be a very significant step. The option to use compulsory licensing provides a useful bargaining tool for governments negotiating prices with suppliers of patented medicines and should encourage the latter to reduce prices. We will monitor its impact and work with developing countries to ensure that its implementation helps promote access to essential medicines.

Global Fund

Martin Caton: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assessment he has made of the Global Fund's public-private partnership structure.

Hilary Benn: We support the Global Fund's partnership with not only government and the private sector but also civil society and affected communities. We have not carried out any assessment of this aspect of the Global Fund. However, we are now starting a programme of work to look at different aspects of the operation of global health partnerships and the working of public-private partnership structures may form part of that.

Global Fund

Martin Caton: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what the target level set by the UN is for UK input into the Global Fund.

Hilary Benn: The UN has not set a target level for UK contributions to the Global Fund to Fight HIV/AIDS, TB and Malaria. The UN did set a target of $10 billion a year to be spent in on HIV/AIDS in low income, high HIV impact countries in the UNGASS Declaration of Commitment on HIV/AIDS, signed in 2001.
	Recently, UNAIDS (the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS) have produced a report on "The state of HIV/AIDS financing", which estimates that total resources required to combat AIDS will amount to approx US$ 10.7 billion in 2005 and US$14.9 billion by 2007, rising as implementation capacity (physical and human) improves.
	The UK is making a significant contribution to the fight against AIDS. Our total contribution to the Global Fund to Fight HIV/AIDS, TB and Malaria will be US$280 million by 2008. Most of DFID's HIV/AIDS spending goes direct to developing countries, through Government, NGOs or the private sector. Last year we invested over £270 million on HIV/AIDS related bilateral work. We are committed to increasing our activities and spending over the next five years. We also provide significant contributions to support the HIV/AIDS programmes of multilateral agencies, including the United Nations.

Global Fund

Martin Caton: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what the estimated donation in 2004 to the Global Fund from the UK Government is; and what plans the Government has to increase its funding in future years.

Hilary Benn: The UK has a long-term commitment to the Global Fund to Fight HIV/AIDS, TB and Malaria and recognises that in order to be effective it needs predictable and sustainable financing. The UK recently extended its pledge by a further 2 years to 2008 bringing our total contribution to US$280million.
	The pattern of our disbursements has been agreed with the Global Fund Secretariat—for the financial year 2003–04 the UK has provided £25 million, and for the financial year 2004–05 we will provide £30 million.
	UK funding will be subject to the GFATM reflecting a clear poverty focus, achieving a better financing system, integrating the Fund's activities more effectively with national programmes and meeting agreed benchmarks to monitor its effectiveness. I am pleased to report that good progress was made at the recent 6th Board meeting in Thailand on many of these issues.

HIV (Sub-Saharan Africa)

Diana Organ: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what the UK's contribution to HIV programmes in Sub-Saharan Africa was (a) as a percentage of GDP and (b) in real terms in each of the last five years; and if he will make a statement on EU aid for HIV programmes in Sub-Saharan Africa.

Hilary Benn: The UK's contributions to HIV programme were as follows:
	
		Sub-Saharan Africa expenditure on HIV
		
			  1998–99 1999–2000 2000–01 2001–02 2002–03 
		
		
			 Total contribution (£ million) 32 42 149 149 184 
			 UK GNI (£ million) 849,900 896,734 936,586 993,770 1,063,090 
			 Percentage total contribution of GNI 0.004 0.005 0.016 0.015 0.017 
			 Total contribution (£ million) in real terms using GDP deflators at market prices 2002–03 = 100 36 45 158 153 184 
		
	
	DFID welcomes the fourfold increase of programmed European Community financial support to fighting HIV/AIDS and other major communicable disease to 1.117 billion Euro for the period 2003–06. This is equivalent to 280 million Euro per year.
	The UK Government have full confidence in the EC's HIV/AIDS programmes, and in particular recognises the value of and supports the Community's "Programme for Action: Accelerated action on HIV/AIDS, malaria and tuberculosis in the context of poverty reduction".

International Debt

Huw Edwards: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assessment he has made of the proposals for the establishment of an international body to supervise the investment of cancelled debts.

Hilary Benn: The Government believe that all proceeds from debt relief should be channelled through nationally-owned poverty reduction strategies. These plans, drawn up by the countries themselves, set out how all aid flows—not only debt relief but also grants and loans—will be spent in order to maximise poverty reduction. So far, 46 countries have developed full poverty reduction strategies, and a further nine are in the pipeline. The Government believe that this form of national ownership is important, and that it would be inappropriate to pass this responsibility on to an international body.

International Debt

Huw Edwards: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what conditions his Department places on aid to developing countries to ensure responsible and sustainable expenditure in future when debt has been cancelled.

Hilary Benn: Debt relief must be linked to poverty reduction. Each country that has qualified for debt relief under the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries' (HIPC) Initiative must develop and implement a nationally-owned and led poverty reduction strategy. This strategy forms the framework for spending all donor resources, not only debt relief. This improves aid effectiveness and ensures the maximum possible impact on poverty reduction.
	Governments in HIPC countries lead national processes to develop Poverty Reduction Strategy Papers (PRSPs), in participation with civil society. These strategies set out the policy actions Governments propose for reducing poverty.
	Together with the World Bank and the IMF, we have been ensuring that PRSPs are costed and priorities are reflected in medium term expenditure frameworks and the annual budget. Annual progress reports and regular budget reviews provide the principal mechanisms for assuring ourselves that all aid, and savings from debt relief, are channelled in ways that have the greatest impact on poverty reduction.

Iraq

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development whether the additional funding for reconstruction in Iraq announced on 14 October will come from planned expenditure for the Department.

Hilary Benn: holding answer 27 October 2003
	The £248 million committed since the beginning of this financial year has been found without any changes to existing programmes. This includes substantial contingency funding from both DFID and the Treasury's Central Reserve.
	Over the next two years, funding for the reconstruction of Iraq includes £50 million reallocated from planned programmes, together with DFID contingency funding of £115 million and contributions from other Departments. Our Public Service Agreement includes the commitment to increase the share of our bilateral programme going to low income countries to 90 per cent. by 2005–06. As a consequence of the temporary increase in funding for Iraq, which we expect to return to middle income status soon, we will also need to move a further estimated £50 million from middle income country Programmes to low income country programmes. This is in line with our commitment to the 90 per cent. target. The reallocation of planned expenditure should be viewed in the context of a development assistance budget that will increase by £900 million over the current spending review period 2003–06.

Iraq

Barry Gardiner: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development when refugee repatriation to Iraq will recommence; and what assistance he is offering the UNHCR to return to Iraq.

Hilary Benn: The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees has made clear that refugee repatriation to Iraq will begin once conditions have become conducive to their safe and dignified return. The Department for International Development has provided £1.75 million to UNHCR since the start of the conflict to assist with their work in Iraq and neighbouring countries.

Iraq

Barry Gardiner: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development when the Baiji oil refinery complex in Iraq will undergo its maintenance phase; and what impact this will have on oil supplies in Iraq.

Hilary Benn: The Baiji refinery provides more than half of Iraq's refined oil products. Major maintenance work on it is much needed and long overdue. According to the Iraqi Ministry of Oil, the most urgent work will begin in December 2003, with one of the refinery's three units being taken out of service at a time. It is expected that the initial focus will be on the gasoline equipment, while keeping the diesel and kerosene plants working as far as possible throughout the winter. Major work is expected to be deferred until the spring in order to allow for additional fuel reserves to be built up. Taking the refinery off-line when demands are high and reserves are low could risk disrupting supplies significantly. Meanwhile, fuel is being imported to help meet current demand.

Iraq

Barry Gardiner: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what efforts are being taken to reduce smuggling of fuel products in Iraq.

Hilary Benn: UK forces are maintaining a long-term presence in the Arabian Gulf to intercept smugglers. Coalition forces have recently been supported by HMS Sutherland and HMS Kent. The UK is also training the Iraqi Riverine patrol service to monitor the Shatt al Arab waterway and Khawr Zubayr. Once trained, an element of this force may provide the core element of Iraqi Coastal Defence force. Measures to enhance border security have been agreed with neighbouring countries and UK forces routinely provide support to Iraq border guards.
	In a recent anti-smuggling operation, from 6 to 26 October 2003 covering the whole of the UK area of responsibility, 291 people were arrested, weapons were confiscated and over 50 vehicles, 28 barges and 12 boats suspected of smuggling oil and copper were detained. Suspected smugglers have been handed over to the Iraqi authorities to face trial. Over 2,000 US troops supported the UK-led forces in Multinational Division South East.
	This campaign has been supported by the implementation of a legal framework, through CPA Order No. 12 of 31 August 2003, which allows the confiscation of property such as trucks or ships used in the theft of natural resources or state property.
	Fuel prices are low in Iraq compared with elsewhere in the region. Until this disparity is reduced, and the economic incentive it provides is diminished, smuggling is likely to remain a problem.

Iraq

Barry Gardiner: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what action the Coalition Provisional Authority in Iraq is taking to ensure the equitable distribution of fuels.

Hilary Benn: With the exception of kerosene, the supply of fuel in Iraq at the end of September was the best since the cessation of hostilities. This was largely due to extensive imports of gasoline, LPG and diesel by the Coalition Provisional Authority and the Iraqi State Oil Marketing Organisation. Imports are expected to continue into 2004 while Iraq's refining capacity recovers and the country regains self-sufficiency in fuel. The Ministry of Oil is also working towards establishing adequate reserve stocks to provide a buffer for unexpected disruptions in supply or surges in demand.
	The distribution of fuel is a challenge. Pipelines are susceptible to sabotage and theft, and the dilapidated state of many limits their capacity. Road and rail transport, which is being used to help compensate for these problems, also faces capacity constraints. The Coalition Provisional Authority is taking steps to strengthen security for pipelines and other installations by providing better communications, centralised control systems, a more integrated approach and improved incident response times.

Iraq

Barry Gardiner: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what action he is taking to increase the supply of LPG bottles available outside Baghdad.

Hilary Benn: The overall supply of LPG cooking gas in Iraq has improved significantly in recent months, coming close to meeting demand by the end of September 2003. However, efficient distribution throughout the country has been hampered by an over-centralised management system and communications difficulties.
	Management of the distribution system has been improved over recent weeks with the installation by the Coalition Provisional Authority of better communications systems between critical locations, and much closer co-ordination between the CPA and the sections of the Ministry of Oil responsible for distribution.

Iraq

Barry Gardiner: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development pursuant to his answer of 6 October 2003, Official Report, column 1011W, on schooling in Iraq, whether an assessment has been made of the balance between the sexes of the children taking exams in June and July.

Hilary Benn: No assessment has been made of the balance between the sexes of the children who took exams in Iraq during June and July. The administrative systems in the country do not at present have the capacity to collect such information.

Jordan

Barry Gardiner: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what efforts he is making to assist the Jordanian Government in reducing congestion in the port of Agaba and the delays this is causing to humanitarian shipments destined for Iraq.

Hilary Benn: DFID is not currently assisting the Jordanian Government. However, we understand that, despite the congestion in the port, the Jordanian Government are continuing to provide support to the World Food Programme to ensure the timely delivery of food and non-food items into Iraq.

Liberia

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assistance his Department is providing to Merlin in their effort to provide medical assistance to (a) Zwedru, Grand Geden County and (b) Greenville, Sinoe County, in Liberia; and if he will make a statement.

Hilary Benn: DFID approved a grant of £250,014 to Merlin on 22 September for the provision of health care, and supportive water and sanitation activities in the South and South-East of Liberia. This funding included support to activities in Zwedru and Greenville. On 12 October Merlin began providing health care in Zwedru and distributing essential medicines in Greenville, Sinoe County. Through DFID funding Merlin is supporting the county hospital in Zwedru, and has set up three primary health clinics in the towns of Janzohn, Toe Town, and Zleh (Grand Gedeh County). Merlin is also supporting the Greenville hospital out-patient department.
	Since June 2003, DFID has provided a total of £876,629 to support Merlin's activities in Liberia.

Malawi

Paul Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how many people he estimates are living in poverty in Malawi.

Hilary Benn: The most authoritative figure for the proportion of people living in poverty in Malawi came from the 1998 Integrated Household Survey. It estimated that 65 per cent. of the population of Malawi were poor of whom 27 per cent. were classified as "ultra-poor". The survey will be repeated later this year. A UN survey in 1993 estimated that 63 per cent. of the population of about 12 million were poor.

Mali

John Barrett: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if he will make a statement on the prevalence of tuberculosis in Mali; and what action he is taking to assist in the treatment of people suffering from tuberculosis in Mali.

Hilary Benn: According to the Malian National Campaign Against Tuberculosis, the number of reported tuberculosis cases in Mali has risen from 1,886 cases per year in 1995 to 2,757 in 2002. This is partly due to the prevalence of the disease among HIV/AIDS sufferers. The Malian Government have recently launched a fresh initiative to persuade tuberculosis patients to come forward for treatment.
	DFID does not have a direct development assistance programme to Mali. Our assistance is mostly channelled through multilateral agencies, including the EC, and amounted to an estimated £12 million in 2001. However, DFID is playing a major role in supporting tuberculosis control worldwide. We support tuberculosis research programmes at the London and Liverpool Schools of Tropical Medicine, as well as providing significant contributions to the Medical Research Council and the World Health Organisation to tackle tuberculosis and other diseases. We have also committed US$280 million over seven years to the Global Fund to fight Aids, Tuberculosis and Malaria (GFATM). Decisions on which countries receive assistance are made on the basis of technical merit by the GFATM. Mali has not received support from GFATM for tuberculosis programmes, but will have another opportunity to apply in 2004.

Maternal Health

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development 
	(1)  what response his Department will make to the report on maternal mortality published on 20 October by the World Health Organisation, UNICEF and the UN Population Fund; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  what assessment his Department has made of global trends in maternal health; what impact this assessment has made on his Department's funding policy; and if he will make a statement.

Hilary Benn: DFID works with international partners to monitor global trends in progress towards the Millennium Development Goal of improving maternal health and its associated target of reducing the maternal mortality ratio by 75 per cent. between 1990 and 2015. The report on maternal mortality in 2000 published on 20 October by the World Health Organisation, UNICEF, and the UN Population Fund estimates that there were 529,000 maternal deaths worldwide in 2000, with a maternal mortality ratio of 400 maternal deaths per 100,000 live births. The majority of the burden is borne in sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia.
	The report is important in highlighting the magnitude of the problem. Inadequate information systems in many poor countries mean there is a high degree of uncertainty around the estimates and so they are less useful in assessing trends over time. A proxy indicator for monitoring trends is the proportion of births attended by a skilled health worker. Skilled attendant coverage in developing countries increased from 42 per cent. in 1990 to 52 per cent. in 2000 but there was substantial variation between regions. Coverage rose significantly in East and South East Asia and in Northern Africa. It is highest in Latin America, at 85 per cent. In contrast, there has been little progress in sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia, where women give birth without assistance from skilled attendants in more than half of cases.
	Evidence from middle-income countries suggests that significant progress can be made through improved access to skilled attendance at birth, timely access to emergency obstetric care in the event of life-threatening complications, family planning services and action to address unsafe abortion. Strengthening the health system is central to an effective response. If poorer countries are to make similar progress, substantially increased action is needed.
	DFID is focusing attention on this Millennium Development Goal. Our Public Service Agreement includes targets on skilled attendance in Africa and Asia. Our approach includes advocacy in the international arena, support to countries to strengthen health systems and maternal and reproductive health services, and support for research and improved measurement tools. Since 1997 we have committed approximately £1.5 billion to support countries to strengthen health systems. In addition we are supporting the maternal health work of international multilateral agencies and international NGOs.

Reconstruction Funding

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what impact the additional funding for reconstruction of Iraq announced on 14 October will have on his Department's projects for middle income countries.

Hilary Benn: holding answer 27 October 2003
	Funding for the reconstruction of Iraq will not affect programmes for middle income countries in this financial year. However, in the light of the needs in Iraq and our commitment to increase the proportion of our direct assistance to low-income countries to 90 per cent. by 2005–06 we will make reductions beyond those currently planned, to other middle income country programmes over the next two years, particularly in 2005–06.
	Final decisions have not yet been taken on where reallocation will occur, However, in order to protect funding for the poorest countries they are likely to involve reductions in planned spending of around £100 million for middle income countries, other than Iraq, over the two years 2004–06. This includes the reallocation of £50 million for Iraq. As a consequence of the temporary increase in funding for Iraq, which we expect to return to middle income status soon, we will also need to move a further estimated £50 million from planned middle income country programmes to low income country programmes. This in line with our commitment to the 90 per cent. target. The reallocations of planned expenditure should be viewed in the context of a development assistance budget that will increase by £900 million over the current spending review period 2003–06.

Safe Drinking Water

Andrew Robathan: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what reports he has received on (a) the delivery of food aid to Zimbabwe to its final recipients and (b) allegations of its subsequent confiscation by local members of Zanu-PF; and if he will make a statement.

Hilary Benn: The WFP and the international NGOs all provide detailed reports on the distribution of their food aid. An incident reporting procedure has been established by WFP and if there is any politicisation of the food aid the distribution is halted immediately and is only resumed once problems have been rectified. There has been one isolated minor incident reported several months ago when food aid was confiscated by Zanu-PF officials. This was dealt with effectively by WFP and in recent months no such incidents have been reported
	The grain marketing board handles the government's food relief programme and the distribution is largely controlled by Zanu-PF officials, with the army, police and other party officials getting preference.

Safe Drinking Water

Andrew Robathan: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assessment he has made of the World Food Programme's aid programme in Zimbabwe.

Hilary Benn: DFID staff based in Harare maintain very close contact with the world food programme and its operations in Zimbabwe. We are confident that they are implementing an effective programme under very difficult circumstances. The WFP undertake their own internal evaluations of their activities and we review the reports regularly.
	We have recently provided a further £5 million to the WFP for its operations in Zimbabwe and of this £0.5 million will be used to further improve its monitoring and reporting capacity.

Safe Drinking Water

Paul Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what proportion of the population of Zimbabwe has access to a plentiful supply of safe drinking water.

Hilary Benn: It is not possible to provide accurate figures as many services are declining as a result of the deteriorating economy.
	According to the national environmental health office in the ministry of health and child welfare (MOHCW), access to safe water in urban areas is above 90 per cent. This figure will be an overestimate as a result of the rapid increase in urban migrations and the rapid increase of un-serviced informal settlements in semi-urban areas (especially Harare and Bulawayo). City councils are having difficulties in procuring water treatment chemicals due to lack of foreign exchange.
	The rural proportion had an estimated 75 per cent. coverage but this will vary around the country. This will also be an over estimation because it does not take account of the distance people may have to travel to get to the water point or the large number of water points that are not operational.

Somalia

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assessment his Department has made of the security of deployed aid workers in (a) Somaliland and (b) other regions in Somalia; in what ways the security situation has changed since April; and if he will make a statement.

Hilary Benn: Since it declared independence from the southern Somalia, Somaliland has developed stability and greatly improved security. In December 2002 and April 2003, Somaliland organised successful municipal and presidential elections, which cemented its democratic credentials and helped to maintain security and stability. Unfortunately, in recent weeks there have been three murders of European expatriates in Somaliland including, on 20 October, the murder of two British schoolteachers in the town of Sheikh. There is no hard information on the motives for these killings and we await the outcome of on-going investigations by the Somaliland authorities. We and the rest of the international community continue to monitor the security situation in Somaliland closely, and we are reviewing our travel advice.
	Elsewhere in Somalia the situation remains unsettled without any form of effective Government or early prospect of elections. IGAD-sponsored reconciliation talks in Kenya are being reassessed following last week's IGAD Summit and could make progress soon. The region is principally run by armed factions, and there is no guarantee of stability or security there. The UK currently advises against travel to Southern Somalia, where a Kenyan aid worker was recently murdered. UN agencies and international organisations still run humanitarian operations in the south. Somalia has been in a volatile situation since the onset of the civil war in the late 1980s and collapse of the government in 1991.
	Although there have been a number of deaths of Europeans there has been no real change in the overall security situation since April 2003.

St. Helena

Anthony Steen: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how many wind turbines have been installed in St. Helena; when it was done; what it cost; how much revenue has been generated; whether the turbines have been economically viable; and if he will make a statement.

Hilary Benn: As a result of earlier studies, which had identified high fuel costs of power generation and significant potential for wind energy, three wind turbines were installed on Deadwood Plain in St. Helena in 1999. The cost, which totalled approximately £300,000, was met by DFID from our development assistance programme to St. Helena. Due to various technical problems, the turbines operated only intermittently until October 2002. Since then, they have not been in operation at all. Although this performance of the turbines has been extremely disappointing, fuel savings totalling some £140,000 did accrue to St. Helena while they were operational. This suggests that wind power should be economically viable for St. Helena, under conditions of continuous wind turbine operation. With further DFID support, therefore, the St. Helena Government has commissioned work to investigate the problems that arose and to propose options for the future. The report, which should be available by the end of this year, will be carefully considered jointly by the St. Helena Government and DFID.

St. Helena

Anthony Steen: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development when the Government agreed to fund a breakwater to provide safe landing for tourists visiting St. Helena; and when it will be completed.

Hilary Benn: All embarkation and disembarkation of passengers in St. Helena entails transit by launch between the harbour steps at Jamestown and ships anchored offshore. The St. Helena Government's policy, which we fully support, is that safety must be paramount in this process. All reasonable precautions are taken, and are regularly reviewed, to ensure that this is the case; and, on occasions where sea conditions are particularly difficult, passenger transit may be suspended altogether. Past studies have not demonstrated to DFID satisfaction that a breakwater, which could be costly to construct, would substantively improve the situation and/or be justifiable on technical and economic grounds. Although the St. Helena Government remains committed to the concept, therefore, we hitherto have not agreed to fund it. In their current proposals for possible European Union assistance, however, the St. Helena authorities are including plans for wharf improvements and an investigation of alternative options for passenger landing arrangements at Jamestown. We shall be monitoring this proposed work very carefully; and we will keep the matter under regular review, in consultation with the St. Helena Government.

Crop Dumping

Huw Edwards: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what steps the Government is taking to stop the practice whereby subsidised crops are grown in America and in EU member states and are subsequently dumped on African countries.

Hilary Benn: The Government acknowledges the damaging impact that dumping and trade-distorting subsidies have on developing countries' agriculture sectors. We fully support the commitment made at the Doha Ministerial meeting in 2001, which agreed that agriculture negotiations would aim to achieve: substantial improvements in market access; reductions of, with a view to phasing out, all forms of export subsidies; and substantial reductions in trade-distorting domestic support.
	The UK has long advocated the reform of the CAP to reduce its trade distorting impacts and to enable farming in Europe to become more sustainable and market focussed. The deal agreed by EU Agriculture Ministers on 26 June this year marks a significant shift in the EU's agricultural policy. The decoupling of subsidies from production should connect European farmers much more closely to the market and have real impacts on reducing excessive production, which results in dumping and harms developing countries. Proposals for reform to other EU commodity regimes, including cotton have been submitted and are currently under discussion.
	The UK is committed to ensuring real reductions in OECD agricultural subsidies, as well as to making progress in other areas of concern not only to African developing countries. These include improving market access for agricultural products and establishing fair rules for special and differential treatment to safeguard food security and rural development in Africa.

Trade (Africa)

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assessment his Department has made of the impact of the Institution for the Multilateral Protection of pan-African Commercial Transactions on direct investment in Africa; what regional differences there are; what impact the work of the Institution has had on development (a) throughout Africa, (b) in the regions with the highest increase in direct investment and (c) in the regions with the lowest increase in direct investment; and if he will make a statement.

Hilary Benn: DFID has not made an assessment of the impact of the Institution for the Multilateral Protection of pan-African Commercial Transactions on direct investment in Africa. We believe such an assessment would be most appropriately carried out by the World bank who provided a $5 million IDA (International Development Association) loan for the establishment of the Africa Trade Insurance Agency (as IMPACT is also known) in 2001 and as such the initiative will be subject to IDA procedures for assessment and review.

World Bank Projects

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development whether it is his policy to support World Bank projects for new roads only when subject to a full environmental impact assessment.

Hilary Benn: All World Bank projects must be subjected to an initial environmental assessment. This determines the environmental category of the project and the level of requirement for appraisal and implementation. All documents are in the public domain in the recipient countries.

World Bank Projects

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what steps he is taking to ensure that World Bank support for transport projects does not require the closure of railway lines.

Hilary Benn: In considering whether to finance transport projects, it is World Bank practice to conduct a thorough assessment of the alternative modes of transport available, taking into account social, environmental and economic issues.

Zimbabwe

Andrew Robathan: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what action he has taken to encourage the Zimbabwean Government to end the ban on importation of grain by private entrepreneurs and other organisations.

Hilary Benn: Given the substantial food aid needs in Zimbabwe, this issue is a high priority. Together with the other major donors (EU and USAID), we are promoting the liberalisation of imports and promotion of the private sector through the UN agencies, and especially the world food programme. Increased liberalisation of the domestic grain markets is also required as the present prices and controls make private grain imports uneconomic.
	The Government's national economic revival programme (NERP) indicates that the private sector have an important role to play in addressing the humanitarian needs. Government, however, continue to be reluctant to liberalise grain trading and marketing and to allow the private sector a more significant role. If anything, the political initiatives at present tend towards greater control and more controlled prices.

Zimbabwe

Andrew Robathan: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what measures (a) his Department and (b) non-governmental organisations have taken to assess the (i) nutritional and (ii) food security status of all populations in Zimbabwe.

Hilary Benn: In January 2003, DFID provided £2.58 million to Unicef to undertake nutrition surveys and emergency supplementary feeding programmes in four countries affected by the food security crisis in southern Africa. This included Zimbabwe, where £0.25 million was spent on a nutrition survey. The field work was undertaken in February 2003 and the results were shared with the donor community in June 2003.
	In addition, DFID has been the major contributor to the vulnerability assessments that have been undertaken in the affected countries of southern Africa. These have been used to identify the most vulnerable groups and communities in Zimbabwe. Three assessments were undertaken between June 2002 and May 2003. In addition, we are supporting, together with the EU, the first urban vulnerability assessment in Zimbabwe. This should be completed by the end of November 2003.
	John Snow International-UK (JSI-UK), with DFID funding, have undertaken a survey of households affected by HIV/AIDS in Harare, which included measures of household food security and the nutritional status of children.

DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER

Access Officers

Brian Cotter: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many local authorities employ an access officer; how many do not; and if he will make a statement.

Nick Raynsford: The information requested is not held centrally, and could be provided only at disproportionate cost. Under the Disabilities Discrimination Act 1995 local authorities, as service providers, have to consider making reasonable adjustments to the way they deliver their services so that disabled people can use them. The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister will be initiating some research next year to assess local government's performance in meeting the needs of people with disabilities and ensuring that people with disabilities have full access to services.

Area Investment Frameworks

Tim Loughton: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will list the Area Investment Frameworks which have been set up.

Yvette Cooper: There are 10 Area Investment Frameworks in development in the South East. They coincide with the Priority Regeneration Areas agreed by the Region in producing and implementing the Regional Economic Strategy and comprise:
	Coastal West Sussex
	Brighton and Hove
	Hastings and Bexhill
	Rest of East Sussex
	Isle of Wight
	Southampton
	Portsmouth/SE Hampshire
	North Kent—Thames Gateway
	East Kent
	Channel Corridor Kent—Folkestone/Ashford.

Area Investment Frameworks

Tim Loughton: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how much funding has been granted to Area Investment Frameworks in Sussex; and from what sources.

Yvette Cooper: Funds are currently focused on development of the Area Investment Frameworks (AIF). The South East England Development Agency (SEEDA) provided £220,000 for delivery of the four AIFs in Sussex a figure matched by other publicly funded bodies. In future years it is intended that AIFs will guide existing expenditure of a wide range of publicly funded bodies.

Area Investment Frameworks

Tim Loughton: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many people work for Area Investment Frameworks in Sussex.

Yvette Cooper: Area Investment Frameworks do not have employees as this is a process rather than a structure.

Arm's-length Management

Frank Dobson: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what assessment he has made of the impact on public finances of money invested in housing refurbishment by (a) an arms length management organisation and (b) a council housing department.

Keith Hill: In 2002–03 local authorities invested around £2.5 billion in investment and maintenance of housing from their own resources and funds provided by Central Government.
	The resource provided for Arms Length Management Organisations (ALMOs) is additional to the resource that the local authority receives through mainstream housing funding.
	The Sustainable Communities Plan published in February announced that for 2003–04 to 2005–06, about £2 billion of additional investment is being made available to councils who set up acceptable arms length arrangements which deliver services which are rated as excellent (3*) or good (2*) by the Housing Inspectorate. This is in addition to the support given in 2002–03 of about £56 million.

Building Regulations

Mark Prisk: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what assessment he has made of the impact of regulations on the building industry on balancing demand and supply in the housing market; and what recent discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry regarding regulation of the building industry.

Keith Hill: The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister is currently considering the balance of regulation regarding the housing market and is taking into account the views of other Government Departments and looking forward to the conclusions reached by the Barker Review of Housing Supply.

Citizens Advice Bureaux

Barry Sheerman: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how much funding the Government have provided to citizens advice bureaux in each of the last 10 years; what steps he is taking to ensure that the Citizens Advice Bureaux network is resourced to provide services to citizens excluded from conventional financial advice; and what recent discussions he has had with local authorities about the level of funding to citizens advice bureaux.

Phil Hope: This Government value highly the contribution that citizens advice bureaux (CABx) make to local communities. We believe that these services are best provided in a way which ensures that they meet the needs of the local community. Decisions about grant funding for individual CABx are therefore for the relevant local authority to make in the light of local priorities. The Local Government Finance Settlement 2003–04 provided local authorities with some £43 billion of general grant; this is an increase of 25 per cent. in real terms since 1997. In addition to this the Department for Trade and Industry provides funding for the national organisation of citizens advice directly.
	I have not had any recent discussions with local authorities about the level of funding for citizens advice bureaux.

Council Housing

Ken Purchase: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister 
	(1)  what proportion of capital expenditure invested in local authority owned homes is supported by direct Government grant, where the homes are managed by (a) the local authority and (b) an arm's length management organisation;
	(2)  on what basis he has calculated Government-funded remission of interest charges on capital investment made to improve local authority homes managed by (a) the local authority and (b) an arm's length management organisation.

Keith Hill: Housing Revenue Account (HRA) subsidy is calculated for each authority taking account of actual interest costs incurred on borrowing to finance approved capital investment in housing, plus an amount that each authority currently has to set aside to repay the principal. Nationally, the average amount met by HRA subsidy in 2002–03 was some £1.6 billion, 10 per cent. of outstanding borrowing. Arms length management organisations (ALMOs) in Rounds 1 and 2 of the programme are also eligible for additional HRA subsidy, currently calculated at a flat rate of 10 per cent. of assumed additional capital investment by the ALMO. The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister has proposed that these flat rate arrangements, which were designed to provide incentives to authorities setting up the first ALMOs, will be harmonised for future years and brought into line with the normal arrangements for supporting capital investment in housing, based on actual interest rates.

Departmental Costs

Howard Flight: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what the cost was to his Department for (a) ministerial cars and drivers, (b) taxis, (c) train travel, (d) the use of helicopters, (e) airline tickets and (f) chartered aeroplanes in each year since 1997.

Yvette Cooper: With regards to the cost of ministerial cars and drivers I refer the hon. Member to the letter sent by Nick Matheson, the Chief Executive of the Government Car and Despatch Agency on 17 September 2003.
	The Government annually publishes the overall costs of all ministerial overseas travel that includes cost of train tickets, airline tickets, use of helicopters and cost of planes chartered for ministerial travel. The next list for the period 1 April 2003 to 31 March 2004 will be published at the end of the financial year.
	The information regarding the remaining parts of the question is not held centrally, and could be provided only at disproportionate costs.

Elliott Review

Michael Foster: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what account was taken of the Elliott Review of the Area Cost Adjustment when deciding to use the New Earnings Survey to calculate wage rates.

Phil Hope: The Government use the new earnings survey (NES) for the area cost adjustment (ACA). The NES is the best data for the purpose because it is drawn from a 1 per cent. sample of everyone in employment, a far larger sample survey than the main possible alternative the labour force survey (LFS).
	The Elliott review recommended that the LFS should be used as the data source for the ACA. This was on the grounds that the LFS includes data on the educational attainment of survey participants. However detailed occupation data is included in the NES. A report by the Warwick Institute for Employment Research (IER) concluded that the use of the NES for calculating the ACA does not result in any significant bias as a consequence of the inability to standardise for education, because of the detailed information on the occupation and industry of survey participants contained in the NES.

Housing Market Renewal Pathfinders

Gordon Prentice: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many staff there are, and what the annual running cost in 2003–04 is, of each of the Housing Market Renewal Pathfinders in England; and if he will make a statement.

Yvette Cooper: Currently each pathfinder has the following numbers of staff supporting scheme development and delivery co-ordination; Birmingham Sandwell (seven full-time and four part-time); East Lancashire (three full-time); Humberside (five full-time); Manchester Salford (nine full-time and seven part-time); Merseyside (four full-time); South Yorkshire (10 full-time); Newcastle (nine full-time and one part-time); North Staffs (six full-time); Oldham Rochdale (four full-time and seven part-time).
	Annual running costs in 2003–04 are not yet available. All pathfinders will be using the part of the £2.66 million allocated for preparation of their strategic schemes. Running costs will vary from pathfinder to pathfinder depending on when the schemes are agreed and large-scale implementation begins.

Newspaper Advertising

Eric Pickles: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what the expenditure of his Department and its predecessors was on newspaper advertising, broken down by title, in each year since 1997; and what estimate he has made for 2003–04.

Yvette Cooper: The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister was created on 29 May 2002.
	The amount spent on press advertising since the creation of the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister is tabled as follows. This press activity was part of the Fire Safety public information campaign during the industrial action by the fire fighters.
	The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister has no estimates for press advertising for 2003–04.
	
		National press -- £
		
			 Title Total 2002 Total 2003 Total 
		
		
			 Daily Mail 39,790 7,958 47,748 
			 Daily Mirror 26,235 6,559 32,794 
			 Daily Star 6,777 2,711 9,488 
			 Daily Telegraph 42,270 10,567 52,837 
			 Guardian 0 3,589 3,589 
			 Sun 43,725 10,931 54,656 
			 Times 6,601 6,601 13,201 
			 Independent 12,960 2,592 15,552 
			 Standard 2,886 0 2,886 
			 Daily Star Sunday 2,711 2,711 5,422 
			 News of the World 22,737 11,369 34,106 
			 Sunday Mirror 12,418 6,209 18,627 
			 Independent Sunday 0 2,592 2,592 
			 Total 219,109 74,389 293,498 
		
	
	
		Regional press -- £
		
			 Title Total 2002 
		
		
			 Birmingham Evg Mail Local 5,588 
			 Blackpool:West Lancs Evening Gazette 2,315 
			 Bournemouth Evening Echo 1,393 
			 Brighton Evening Argus 1,839 
			 Bristol Evening Post 2,277 
			 Huddersfield Daily Examiner 2,535 
			 Hull Daily Mail 2,112 
			 Leicester Mercury  2,535 
			 Lincolnshire Echo 1,083 
			 Liverpool Echo 4,578 
			 Manchester Evening News 2,274 
			 Manchester Evg News 4,548 
			 Newcastle Evg Chronicle 3,672 
			 Nottingham Evg Post 2,535 
			 Plymouth Evening Herald 1,653 
			 Scunthorpe Eve Telegraph 882 
			 Sheffield Star  4,770 
			 South Wales Echo 1,842 
			 South Wales Evening Echo 921 
			 South Wales Evening Post 1,653 
			 Southern Daily Echo 1,714 
			 Stoke Evg Sentinel 1,929 
			 Teeside Evening Gazette 2,560 
			 West Midlands Express and Star Group 5,609 
			 Yorkshire Evening Post (10%) 2,534 
			 Yorkshire Post 1,267 
			 Total 66,623

North-West Regional Assembly

Lindsay Hoyle: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many (a) full-time and (b) part-time staff are employed by the North West Regional Assembly.

Nick Raynsford: The North West Regional Assembly is a voluntary body. The details of its employees is a matter for the Assembly.

Spatial Strategy (East Midlands)

Phil Sawford: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many responses have been received in respect of the East Midlands sub-regional spatial strategy from (a) county and district councils, (b) parish councils, (c) hon. Members, (d) health trusts, (e) individuals and (f) others.

Keith Hill: In total 1,624 responses on the Milton Keynes and South Midlands Sub-Regional Strategy have been recorded to date:
	(a) County and district councils—39 responses
	(b) Parish and town councils—134 responses
	(c) Hon. Members (MP/MEP)—6 responses
	(d) Health trusts—5 responses
	(e) Individuals—1,135 responses
	(f) Others (Developers, Action Groups etc)—305 responses (includes 22 from Government agencies and statutory bodies).

Stamp Duty Land Tax

Mark Prisk: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what assessment he has made of the impact of increases in stamp duty land tax on his policy for urban and high street regeneration; and if he will make a statement.

Ruth Kelly: I have been asked to reply.
	The Government have introduced disadvantaged areas relief which provides an exemption from stamp duty land tax for transactions in non-residential land in Enterprise Areas. There are 1,262 wards in England which qualify for this relief, representing the bottom 15 per cent. of the national index of deprivation. The measure provides a major boost to businesses investing in commercial premises in England.

Suffolk County Council

Richard Spring: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister pursuant to his answer of 27 October 2003, ref. 134409, what representations he has received from Suffolk County Council regarding the local government finance settlement in the last 12 months.

Phil Hope: In the last 12 months officials received representations from Suffolk County Council on the 2003–04 provisional local government settlement and more recently on the balance of funding review.

Tenancy Deposit Scheme

Laurence Robertson: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what plans he has to reform the Tenancy Deposit Scheme to provide for the fast return of deposits to tenants by landlords; and if he will make a statement.

Keith Hill: Following disappointing take-up and having reached the end of Government powers to fund the voluntary pilot Tenancy Deposit Scheme, the Scheme is being wound up. The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister is currently considering the lessons from this, and will wish to take into account the Law Commission's review of tenure legislation when it publishes its interim findings on 5 November. Officials will be holding a seminar in December to discuss the case for linking legislation for compulsory measures to the Law Commission's findings.

Wind Farms

David Lidington: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what plans he has to issue new planning policy guidance on onshore wind farms.

Keith Hill: A draft of the new Planning Policy Statement 22 (PPS22) on renewable energy will be issued for public consultation shortly.

HEALTH

Food Supplements

Christopher Chope: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what action he has taken to press for maximum permitted levels for nutrients in supplements to be set at the upper safe level currently applicable in the United Kingdom; and if he will make a statement.

Melanie Johnson: The Government's view is that the law should permit the sale of food supplements that are safe and properly labelled. The United Kingdom continues to argue for European Union maximum permitted limits for vitamins and minerals in food supplements to be set on a safety basis.
	The Government's position on specific EU proposals for maximum limits will be based on the upper safe levels and guidance levels recommended by the independent expert group on vitamins and minerals.

Radioactivity in Food and the Environment Report

David Chaytor: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he expects to receive the Food Standards Agency report on "Radioactivity in Food and the Environment", 2002.

Melanie Johnson: The Food Standards Agency published the report on "Radioactivity in Food and the Environment" for 2002 on 29 October 2003. Copies of the report have been placed in the Library.
	For the first time, this report will contain data from monitoring of radioactivity in food and the environment throughout the United Kingdom. The report is a collaboration between the FSA, the Scottish Environment Protection Agency, the Environment Agency and the Environment and Heritage Service of Northern Ireland.

Sexually Transmitted Diseases

Christopher Chope: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  how many people in each health trust in England are registered as suffering from (a) AIDS and (b) other sexually transmitted diseases; and what the equivalent figures were for each of the last two years;
	(2)  how many current recipients of NHS treatment for AIDS he estimates are not British citizens;
	(3)  what action he is taking to ensure that treatment provided to non-UK citizens for AIDS does not result in inferior levels of treatment for British citizens suffering from other sexually transmitted diseases.

Melanie Johnson: holding answers 27 October 2003
	Data on HIV and AIDS for individual health trusts are not held centrally, although data are held by region. The table gives figures broken down according to English region for 2000 to 2002 (the latest available).
	
		Diagnosed HIV-infected patients for whom most advanced clinical stage reported as AIDS—by region of residence when last seen for care and year of survey(42)
		
			  AIDS 
			 Region of residence 2000 2001 2002 
		
		
			  
			  
			 Yorkshire and Humberside (2001) n/a 187 239 
			 North East (2001) n/a 78 94 
			 Northern and Yorkshire (pre 2001) 182 n/a n/a 
			 East Midlands (2001) n/a 187 249 
			 Trent (pre 2001) 179 n/a n/a 
			 West Midlands 190 252 308 
			 North West 439 502 548 
			 Eastern 244 297 392 
			 London 3,323 3,814 4,329 
			 South East 524 627 725 
			 South West 209 242 255 
			 England total(43) 5,290 6,187 7,147 
		
	
	(42) Excludes asymptomatic HIV and symptomatic pre-AIDS.
	(43) Includes patients whose region of residence not known.
	Note:
	Regional border and definition changes April 2001.
	Source:
	Health Protection Agency, survey of prevalent diagnosed HIV infections in England, Wales and Northern Ireland (SOPHID).
	Data on sexually transmitted infections for individual health trusts are not held centrally. The table provides data on all diagnosed infections at genito-urinary medicine clinics (excluding HIV and AIDS) according to English region for 2000 to 2002 (latest available).
	
		
			 Region 2000 2001 2002 
		
		
			 East Midlands 33,738 35,532 37,697 
			 Eastern 47,010 50,742 54,321 
			 London 169,129 181,367 186,950 
			 North East 19,712 18,764 19,325 
			 North West 56,286 60,679 63,268 
			 South East 79,685 81,693 86,977 
			 South West 43,373 46,573 49,564 
			 West Midlands 40,670 46,555 48,860 
			 Yorkshire and Humberside 45,070 49,104 51,971 
			 England total 534,673 571,009 598,933 
		
	
	Source:
	Health Protection Agency.
	Eligibility for free NHS hospital treatment is based on residency in the UK, not on nationality. Anyone who is ordinarily resident in this country is entitled to free treatment, except when there are statutory charges for services, such as prescription charges. Anyone who is not ordinarily resident in the UK may be charged for any hospital treatment they receive, unless exempt under the provisions of the National Health Service (Charges to Overseas Visitors) Regulations 1989. Whether chargeable or not, no one receives preferential treatment for HIV/AIDS or any other health condition on the basis of their nationality, but are treated according to clinical need.
	Data on the citizenship of people who receive NHS treatment for HIV/AIDS are not collected.

Arthritis

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what guidelines the Government has issued to primary care trusts on prescribing TNFa to arthritis sufferers.

Stephen Ladyman: The Department has not issued guidelines on the dispensing of anti-TNF drugs. The National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE) issued guidance on these drugs in March 2002. They recommended that consultant rheumatologists, or consultant paediatric rheumatologists in the case of juvenile idiopathic arthritis, should prescribe these drugs, in accordance with the guidelines set out by the British Society for Rheumatology (BSR) or British Paediatric Rheumatology Group (BPRG).
	The Government expect NICE guidance to be implemented in all areas as expeditiously as possible.

Ashford (Middlesex) Hospital

David Wilshire: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to his answer of 14 October 2003, Official Report, column 212W, on Ashford (Middlesex) Hospital, what facility is out of commission; and on what date each part of it ceased to be used.

John Hutton: holding answer 23 October 2003
	I must apologise to the hon. Member for an error in my response to him on 14 October 2003, Official Report, column 212W.
	Facilities for the proposed new independent sector treatment centre will be provided by Ashford and St. Peter's Hospitals National Health Service Trust but the final solution will depend upon negotiations between the trust and the preferred provider for this unit.
	Improved capacity managed by the Ashford and St. Peter's Hospitals NHS Trust has meant that because of increased throughput of patients as day surgery cases and changes in operating schedules, the trust announced the temporary closure of the Fielding Ward from 31 October for a period of five months.
	This is unrelated to the proposals for a new treatment centre.

British Heart Foundation

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much funding has been allocated to the British Heart Foundation in 2002–03; and for which projects.

Melanie Johnson: The Department did not allocate funding to the British Heart Foundation (BHF) in 2002–03. The Department works closely with the BHF on the full range of heart disease policies and values highly its distinctive contribution to preventing heart disease and improving care and services for patients.

Cancelled Operations

Claire Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many operations were cancelled in England since January; and how many of these were due to delayed discharge.

John Hutton: Data are collected quarterly on the number of operations cancelled by hospitals for non-clinical reasons: at the last minute (that is, on the day the patients are due to arrive or after arrival in hospital or on the day of their operation) and, in 2002–03 only, on the day of surgery.
	Cancelled operations data at England level and by national health service trust and strategic health authority level are available in the Library and on the Department's website at www.doh.gov.uk/hospitalactivity/data requests.htm
	The data collected on cancelled operations for non-clinical reasons are not broken down into the reasons for cancellation. Therefore, no data can be provided on how many operations are cancelled due to delayed discharge from hospital.

Car Parking (Queen Mary's, Sidcup)

John Horam: To ask the Secretary of State for Health which organisation has the contract for organising car parking at Queen Mary's Sidcup NHS Trust; and what income the Trust has derived from this contract in each year.

John Hutton: holding answer 30 October 2003
	The company responsible for organising car parking at Queen Mary's Sidcup National Health Service Trust is CP Plus Ltd. The agreed annual value was £150,000, which has now altered to £151,029 due to changes in number of spaces available and inflation.

Cataract Operations

David Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  how many people are waiting for cataract operations in each trust within the Thames Valley Strategic Health Authority area;
	(2)  what the latest average waiting time is for cataract operations in each trust within the Thames Valley Strategic Health Authority area.

Rosie Winterton: holding answers 14 October 2003
	The Department does not hold any data on cataracts, as only specialty based data are collected centrally.
	However, ophthalmology data as a whole for trusts in the Thames Valley Health Authority area are shown in the table.
	
		Patients waiting for ophthalmology elective in-patient admission: position at 31 June 2003: NHS trusts within Thames Valley Strategic Health Authority
		
			 Trustcode Trust name Total number of patients waiting for admission Average (median) waiting time in months 
		
		
			 5DK Newbury and Community PCT 256 3.38 
			 RBF Nuffield Orthopaedic Centre NHS Trust 0 n/a 
			 RD7 Heatherwood and Wexham Park Hospitals NHS Trust 0 n/a 
			 RD8 Milton Keynes General NHS Trust 229 2.02 
			 RHW Royal Berkshire and Battle Hospital NHS Trust 2,844 3.89 
			 RTH The Oxford Radcliffe Hospital NHS Trust 1,719 3.02 
			 RXQ Buckinghamshire Hospitals NHS Trust 1,009 2.47 
		
	
	Source:
	Department of Health form KH07.

Chronic Disease

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what measures he has taken to improve access to treatment for sufferers of chronic diseases.

Stephen Ladyman: Our substantial increased investment in the national health service will have the effect of improving access to treatment for all patients, including those with chronic diseases. Over the years 2003–04 to 2007–08, expenditure on the NHS in England will increase on average by 7.4 per cent. a year over and above inflation—a total increase over the period of 43 per cent. in real terms. This will take the total spent on the NHS in England from £56 billion in 2002–03 to over £90 billion in 2007–08 and lead to better services for all patients.
	Maximum waiting times have fallen over the past few years and will continue to do so. By the end of 2005, the maximum waiting time for a first out-patient appointment with a consultant will fall to three months and the maximum wait for in-patient treatment will fall to six months. This will help all NHS patients, including those with chronic disease.
	We are also producing a national service framework (NSF) for long-term conditions. The NSF, which we hope to publish by December 2004, will concentrate on neurological conditions and also have generic value for people with other long-term conditions and disabilities and will inform the future planning of services.

Chronic Disease

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much has been spent by his Department on chronic disease sufferers, broken down by main categories of chronic disease, in each of the last six years.

Stephen Ladyman: The information requested is not collected centrally. Strategic health authorities and primary care trusts receive unified allocations to cover the costs of hospital and community health services, discretionary funding for general practice staff, premises, computers and primary care prescribing.
	The level of funding made available for the drugs, staffing and other costs of providing services for patients with chronic diseases are determined locally. It is for strategic health authorities, in partnership with primary care trusts and other local stakeholders, to determine how best to use their funds to provide health services for their populations, including those with chronic disease.

Clinical Negligence

Paul Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list the cost of clinical negligence claims in the NHS for each year since 1997.

Rosie Winterton: The National Audit Office (NAO) summarised accounts for the national health service (England), show expenditure for claims and associated costs for clinical negligence for each year since 1997 to be as shown in the table.
	
		£ millions
		
			  Amount 
		
		
			 1996–97 235 
			 1997–98 144 
			 1998–99 221 
			 1999–2000 373 
			 2000–01 415 
			 2001–02 446 
		
	
	Changes to accounting policies imposed by the NAO over the years mean that the expenditure amounts are not directly comparable.

Cost Collection Exercise

Lynne Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what conclusions he has drawn from the annual reference cost collection exercise about the cost of activity carried out for the NHS (a) by non-NHS service providers and (b) by the NHS.

John Hutton: The 2003 reference cost collection exercise has for the first time included a requirement for the collection of data relating to services provided to national health service patients by the private sector. However, this does not include services commissioned from the voluntary and charitable sectors, and therefore it will not be possible to draw conclusions about the cost of activity carried out for the NHS by non-NHS providers as a whole.
	It is currently anticipated that publication of 2003 reference cost data on the Department's web site, and in hard copy, will take place before the end of November. Publication will be accompanied by analysis and commentary similar to that provided in previous years.

Dental Access Centres

Paul Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list for each dental access centre (a) the average charge for a missed appointment and (b) the proportion of patients charged for missed appointments.

Rosie Winterton: Information on missed appointments at dental access centres is not collected centrally, and we have no information to indicate that any dental access centres seek to levy charges for missed appointments.

Diagnostic and Treatment Centres

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what criteria were used in selecting the bidders for the first wave of the diagnostic and treatment centres scheme.

John Hutton: The selection of the preferred bidders followed detailed evaluation of the submitted tenders. The evaluation criteria included clinical quality, building proposals, human resources, speed of mobilisation and delivery, affordability, value for money, bidders' corporate structure and price. There was a structured scoring mechanism against each of these criteria and total scores assessed between bidders. All preferred bidders are subject to final contract negotiation and agreement and schemes will proceed only if they provide the required level of value for money for national health service commissioners.

Digital Hearing Aids

Lynne Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what qualifications are required to fit digital hearing aids; and how many people qualified to fit digital hearing aids are employed by (a) the NHS and (b) the contractors (i) Ultravox and (ii) Ormerod.

Stephen Ladyman: Although there are significant differences between the way digital and analogue hearing aids are fitted, there is no specific additional qualification to fit digital hearing aids. The Institute of Hearing Research estimates that 659 national health service employees have so far been trained as part of the modernising hearing aid services project to fit digital hearing aids. This includes people whose training has so far been cascaded from those trained directly. The Department does not collect information about how many private sector contractors can fit digital hearing aids.

Doctor Numbers

Evan Harris: To ask the Secretary of State for Health which primary care trusts have been classified as being in under-doctored areas on the basis of the number of general practitioner principals, or equivalents, per weighted head of the population; what funding is being targeted at these primary care trusts in order to aid general practitioner recruitment; and if he will make a statement.

John Hutton: The Department of Health definition of an under-doctored primary care trust (PCT) is that its number of whole time equivalent (wte) NHS Plan general practitioners (GPs) per 100,000 weighted population is less than the national average. As at the March 2003 workforce census the national average was 55.55 wte NHS Plan GPs per 100,000 weighted population.
	The PCTs, which were identified as being under-doctored as at 31 March 2003 are listed as follows.
	PCTs have been given an average cash increase exceeding 30 per cent. over the three years 2003–06. PCTs will be able to use these extra resources to deliver on both national and local priorities including recruiting additional staff in primary care. Guidance issued to PCTs entitled "Shifting the Balance of Power: New arrangements For Managing General Medical Practitioner Appointments" encouraged all PCTs to increase GP numbers, particularly in under-doctored areas. PCTs are also able to recruit additional GPs supported by general medical services non cash limited funds.
	In addition to this increase in resources the following initiatives are also designed to increase GP numbers in under-doctored areas:
	The GP Golden Hello scheme has been implemented nationally. This pays up to £5,000 to new or returning GPs, and £12,000 if they go to work in an under-doctored area.
	Under-doctored areas have also been prioritised in the distribution of the planned increase of 550 GP registrar training posts up to 2004. Furthermore £45 million has been allocated over three years to improve GP training premises and increase capacity in under-doctored areas.
	Local Improvement Finance Trust (LIFT) aims to deliver modern patient centres premises that will help attract and retain GPs in these under-doctored areas. The Department has earmarked £195 million to support the development of NHS LIFT.
	
		
			 Under-doctored PCT as at March 2003 Under-doctored PCT as at March 2003 Under-doctored PCT as at March 2003 
		
		
			 Eastern Cheshire North Sheffield Telford and Wrekin 
			 Ellesmere Port and Neston Doncaster Central Staffordshire Moorlands 
			 Halton Rotherham Newcastle-Under-Lyme 
			 North Liverpool Doncaster East South Stoke 
			 Central Cheshire Doncaster West North Stoke 
			 South Sefton Barnsley Lincolnshire South West Teaching 
			 South Liverpool Bradford City Derbyshire Dales and South Derbyshire 
			 St. Helens Huddersfield Central Amber Valley 
			
			 Knowsley East Leeds Rushcliffe 
			 Middlesbrough Eastern Wakefield Nottingham City 
			 Langbaurgh South Leeds West Lincolnshire 
			 Sedgefield Calderdale Central Derby 
			 North Tees Leeds West Greater Derby 
			 Hartlepool North Kirklees Bassetlaw 
			 Derwentside Bedford Newark and Sherwood 
			 Easington Luton East Lincolnshire 
			 Preston Oldbury and Smethwick Broxtowe and Hucknall 
			 Chorley and South Ribble Rowley, Regis and Tipton North Eastern Derbyshire 
			 West Lancashire Wednesbury and West Bromwich Gedling 
			 Fylde Dudley South Ashfield 
			 Blackburn with Darwen Wolverhampton City Mansfield District 
			 Wyre Dudley Beacon and Castle Enfield 
			 Blackpool Eastern Birmingham Havering 
			 Hyndburn and Ribble Valley Walsall Redbridge 
			 Burnley, Pendle and Rossendale Heart of Birmingham Barking and Dagenham 
			 Stockport Rugby Hounslow 
			 Heywood and Middleton Coventry Greenwich 
			 North Manchester North Warwickshire Bexley 
			 Bury Harlow Sutton and Merton 
			 Central Manchester Billericay, Brentwood and Wickford West Wiltshire 
			 Bolton Witham, Braintree and Halstead Care Trust Fareham and Gosport 
			 Rochdale Epping Forest Isle of Wight 
			 Salford Castle Point and Rochford Portsmouth City 
			 Tameside and Glossop Basildon Canterbury and Coastal 
			 Ashton, Leigh and Wigan Southend On Sea Medway 
			 Oldham Thurrock Dartford, Gravesham and Swanley 
			 North Lincolnshire Tendring East Kent Coastal 
			 Yorkshire Wolds and Coast Northampton Swale 
			 North East Lincolnshire Hinckley and Bosworth Ashford 
			 West Hull Northamptonshire Heartlands Shepway 
			 Eastern Hull Eastern Leicester Sussex Downs and Weald 
			 North Tyneside Southern Norfolk Brighton and Hove City 
			 Sunderland Teaching Suffolk Coastal Adur, Arun and Worthing 
			 Gateshead Waveney Bexhill and Rother 
			 South Tyneside Great Yarmouth Hastings and St. Leonards 
			 South East Sheffield East Staffordshire Eastbourne Downs 
			  Cannock Chase Slough

Drug Costs

Paul Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list the percentage change in the average cost of drugs purchased by the NHS in each year since 1997.

Rosie Winterton: The average annual percentage increase in the average net ingredient cost per prescription item for drugs was 4.9 per cent. from 1997 to 1998, 9.0 per cent. from 1998 to 1999, 1.3 per cent. from 1999 to 2000, 3.0 per cent. from 2000 to 2001 and 6.5 per cent. from 2001 to 2002. The average annual increase between 1997 and 2002 was 4.9 per cent. (2.5 per cent. at 1997 prices). Data relate to prescription items dispensed in the community in England.

Edgware Hospital

Andrew Dismore: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on Edgware Hospital development with particular reference to (a) what diagnostic services and equipment are to be provided, (b) how the hospital will fit into the primary care trust's intermediate care strategy and (c) what plans there are to improve cross health service border usage by residents in Brent and Harrow.

John Hutton: The new Edgware Community Hospital is under construction and is due for completion in the summer of 2004. The capital cost of the project is £35.7 million. The new community hospital will have a range of services, including: out-patients for children and adults, including a range of therapy services, day surgery, x-ray, urgent treatment centre with walk-in centre, birth centre, intermediate care services and services for older people with mental health problems.
	Barnet Primary Care Trust continues to develop intermediate care service, which provide support for people in their own home and also in patient and day hospital facilities. Edgware Community Hospital is integral to this strategy.

Emergency Services

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many hospitals provide (a) acute services and (b) 24 hour accident and emergency services in England.

Rosie Winterton: In the year 2001–02, there were 187 acute trusts in England, each of which may include more than one hospital that provides acute services.
	In the first quarter of 2003–04, there were 210 major accident and emergency departments in England offering 24-hour services. In addition, there were over 50 single-specialty departments and over 240 minor injury units/national health service walk-in centres.

Flexible Working

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to increase (a) childcare options and (b) flexible working times for working mothers within the NHS.

John Hutton: This Government recognise that to build quality services, the national health service relies upon the skill and dedication of staff, of whom over 70 per cent. are women.
	Part-time working and extended maternity leave are well-established features of NHS employment, and have been for some time. However, as part of the drive to support all staff in the NHS, the NHS Plan, launched in July 2000 introduced the Improving Working Lives Standard, requiring a commitment by every NHS employer to offer a wide range of flexible employment opportunities by April 2003.
	The NHS increasingly offers a wide variety of flexible working opportunities for all staff and supports this as a principle in all cases. A central requirement is to deliver practical measures which address the potential conflict between offering people the opportunity to work more flexibly and maintaining continuity of care on a 24 hours a day, seven days a week basis.
	The NHS childcare strategy has provided central funding of over £70 million over three years to develop up to 150 extra on-site nursery facilities by 2004. So far, 140 nursery schemes, including both new and extensions to existing nurseries have been funded. Funding has been provided to help trusts and primary care trusts to employ childcare co-ordinators. The Government have committed a further £100 million to extend the NHS childcare strategy to ensure that the needs of all staff are met, including other forms of childcare for pre-school children and for older children, and to upgrade and subsidise existing NHS nurseries.

Food Advertising

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what plans he has to introduce restrictions on the advertisement of food products during children's television scheduling;
	(2)  what assessment he has made of the impact of television advertisements for (a) high fat, (b) high salt and (c) high sugar products on the health of children.

Melanie Johnson: The regulation of advertising is the responsibility of Department for Culture, Media and Sport.
	The Food Standards Agency (FSA) recently published a review on the promotion of foods to children, which concludes that
	". . . this review provides sufficient evidence to show that food promotion can and is having an effect on children, particularly in the areas of food preferences, purchase behaviour and consumption."
	Food is more commonly advertised to children than adults and the foods that are advertised tend to be high in fat, salt and/or added sugars. The majority of children's diets do not meet current dietary recommendations.
	We very much welcome the thorough FSA review. The detailed report is receiving careful consideration. The FSA is holding a wider stakeholder meeting to discuss the implications of the research. We strongly encourage industry to act responsibly when promoting foods, particularly to children.
	We are committed to improving the diets of children and have a range of action in place, including the reform of the Welfare Food Scheme, action within schools (such as the Food in Schools Programme), the Five-a-day Programme, including the National School Fruit Scheme and work with industry to address sugar, fat and salt levels in the diet (working with the FSA).

Food Standards

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what regulations are in place governing (a) the quality and (b) the origin of meat served in restaurants.

Melanie Johnson: holding answer 27 October 2003
	Meat sold for human consumption at retail or in catering establishments has to comply with the Food Safety Act 1990 and regulations made under the Act. These regulations require animals slaughtered in licensed slaughterhouses to undergo veterinary ante-mortem inspection, and their carcasses to be subjected to post-mortem inspection and health marked, if found fit for human consumption, under the supervision of an official veterinarian. There are no specific regulations dealing with origin of meat served in restaurants. However, if origin information is provided it must not be false or misleading.

Foundation Trusts

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the total size is of the funding facility being made available by the Department of Health to meet capital bids by the first wave foundation trust applicants.

John Hutton: There will not be a specific allocation of capital to the financing facility. Monies disbursed will be a function of the aggregate of each national health service foundation trust's ability to borrow under the Prudential Borrowing Code and not of centrally allocated budgets.

Foundation Trusts

Ian Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether an area specified by an applicant for foundation trust status under sub-section 3(1)(a) of Schedule 1 to the Health and Social Care (Community Health and Standards) Bill may include an electoral area in Wales.

John Hutton: No. The areas for the public constituency in question will be limited to England. However, if a national health service foundation trust's constitution includes provision for patients or carers of patients to be members of the public constituency, patients of that NHS foundation trust living in Wales would be eligible to join.

GPs

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Health under what circumstances general practitioners can charge British citizens for a consultation.

John Hutton: General practitioners may charge a British citizen for a consultation only if the patient is not registered with the GP's practice under the National Health Service.

GPs

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what requirement there is in the NHS for patients to be given prior notice of the retirement of their general practitioner.

John Hutton: Regulations place a duty on primary care trusts to give notice to patients if their registered provider will no longer be able to provide services whether because of retirement or for other reasons.

Havering Primary Care Trust

John Cryer: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the progress of the Local Investment Finance Trust scheme within the Havering primary care trust area.

John Hutton: The Barking and Havering Local Investment Finance Trust scheme selected its preferred bidder in May 2003 and plans to reach financial close shortly.

Health Inequalities

Andrew Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the average journey time is for patients to the nearest (a) general practitioner surgery, (b) dentist and (c) accident and emergency unit in each county south of the River Thames.

Rosie Winterton: holding answer 29 October 2003
	The Department does not collect information on journey times to health services.

Health Services (North-West)

Nigel Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many dentists work in the NHS in the North West of England.

Melanie Johnson: The number of dentists working in the national health service in the North West of England at 30 June 2003 is shown in the table.
	
		Number of dentists working in the NHS in the North West of England at 30 June 2003
		
			  North west region 
		
		
			 General Dental Service (GDS) 2,281 
			 Personal Dental Service (PDS) 127 
			 Community Dental Service (CDS) 172 
			 Salaried Service of the GDS 16 
			   
			 Total 2,596 
		
	
	Notes
	This data relates to 30 June 2003 except for CDS Dentists. The figures for CDS dentists are from 30 September 2001 which is the latest available data.
	Dentists working in more than one dental service are included in each service, apart from dentists working in both the PDS and GDS who are counted in the GDS only.

Health Services (North-West)

Nigel Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many patients have been treated in hospitals in the North West in each year since 1992.

Melanie Johnson: The information requested is shown in the table.
	
		North West Region of Treatment (Y08)—count of finished in year admission episodes—NHS Hospitals 1992–93 to 2001–02
		
			  Admissions 
		
		
			 1992–93(44) 906,614 
			 1993–94(44) 945,498 
			 1994–95(44) 1,066,424 
			 1995–96(44) 1,086,028 
			 1996–97 1,677,755 
			 1997–98 1,721,164 
			 1998–99 1,792,784 
			 1999–2000 1,821,111 
			 2000–01 1,780,595 
			 2001–02 1,667,105 
		
	
	(44) Change in organisation names and codes: previously known as North Western Regional Health Authority (YOP).
	Note
	Admissions are defined as the first period of in-patient care under one consultant within one healthcare provider. Please note that admissions do not represent the number of in-patients, as a person may have more than one admission within the year.
	Source
	Hospital Episode Statistics (HES), Department of Health.

Health Strategy (Children/Adolescents)

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether his Department contributed to the World Health Organisation's discussion forum on the planned strategy on the health of children and adolescents.

Stephen Ladyman: Yes. The Department was represented at the World Health Assembly meeting in May 2003 and the World Health Organisation's Regional Committee for Europe in September 2003, both of which discussed the development of a comprehensive strategy on the health of children and adolescents.

Hospital at Night Project

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when the first report on the Hospital at Night project is due to be completed.

John Hutton: Information about the Hospital at Night project is currently available on the Configuring Hospitals website at www.doh.gov.uk/configuringhospitals. Further information will be made available on the site as the project progresses.

Hospital at Night Project

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Health which hospitals are participating in the Hospital at Night project.

John Hutton: The following four sites are piloting the hospital at night concept across adult acute specialties:
	Morecambe Bay National Health Service Trust.
	Wirral Hospital NHS Trust.
	Royal Liverpool and Broadgreen University Hospitals NHS Trust.
	Homerton Hospital NHS Trust.
	The methodology is being extended to maternity and paediatrics, and three pilots have been established: South East London (a sector-wide pilot). This includes:
	Bromley Hospitals NHS Trust
	Guy's and St Thomas' Hospital NHS Trust
	King's College Hospital NHS Trust
	Queen Elizabeth Hospital NHS Trust
	Queen Mary's Sidcup NHS Trust
	The Lewisham Hospital NHS Trust
	Newham Healthcare NHS Trust.
	Morecambe Bay NHS Trust.

Hospital Machinery

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many (a) ultrasound machines, (b) gamma cameras, (c) x-ray machines and (d) CT scanners the NHS has; in which hospital trust each machine is situated; and what the age of each machine is.

Melanie Johnson: There is no information held by the Department of Health concerning the location or age of ultrasound scanners or x-ray machines. The latest available published data on locations of gamma cameras is available from a survey carried out in 2000 and is published at: http://www/canceruk.net/reports/gammadata/gammadata.htm
	There are currently 322 computed tomography (CT) scanners installed in the National Health Service in England.
	A programme to provide an additional 50 machines was announced on 22 May 2003 as well as funding to support a programme of replacement over the next three years. We anticipate there will be approximately 375 CT scanners by the end of 2004, and by December 2006, no CT scanner will be older than 10 years.
	The list of CT scanners currently installed has been placed in the Library.

Working Time Directive

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Health by what date NHS hospital trusts have to submit plans for the implementation of the European Working Time Directive changes due in 2004.

John Hutton: National health service trusts have been asked to prepare fully costed and robust action plans to their respective strategic health authorities by 31 December 2003.

Hypertension

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much funding his Department has contributed towards National Blood Pressure Testing Week 2003; and what targets have been set.

Melanie Johnson: The Department of Health has agreed to contribute the majority of the costs for the Blood Pressure Association's National Blood Pressure Testing Week 2003.
	We were aiming for a minimum of 70,000 individuals in England to have their blood pressure checked during the week, but early estimates based upon a random sample of testing stations suggest that the numbers tested were double this figure.
	Besides the benefit to individuals of knowing their blood pressure numbers, the National Blood Pressure Testing Week helps to extend public and professional awareness of the problem of high blood pressure people through local and national media coverage and promotion of the event.

Hypertension

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what his Department is doing to help people with uncontrolled blood pressure.

Melanie Johnson: Under the proposed new general medical services (GMS) contract general practitioners will be expected to produce a register of patients detailing the percentage with coronary heart disease whose notes have a record of blood pressure in the previous 15 months, and also the percentage of patients with coronary disease, in whom the last blood pressure reading (measured in the last 15 months) is 150/90 or less. The standard for records has indicators for the recording of blood pressure in patients aged 45 and over.
	Additionally, the Department of Health is taking action to help prevent high blood pressure—through our work to improve diet, particularly to reduce salt in the diet, and to increase physical activity.

Infant Formula Milk

Annette Brooke: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what action he is taking to ensure that the Infant Formula and Follow-on Formula Regulations 1995 are being observed.

Melanie Johnson: holding answer 29 October 2003
	Day to day enforcement of these regulations is the responsibility of local authority trading standards and environmental health services. Specific guidance on the enforcement of the regulations has been issued to local authorities by the local authorities co-ordinator of regulatory services. The Food Standards Agency routinely monitors and audits local authority food law enforcement services and provides specific advice on all aspects of food law enforcement, including these regulations, on request.

Integrated Care Records

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate he has made of the impact of using the integrated care records system on the time general practitioners spend with patients.

John Hutton: The package of new information technology applications and systems will greatly reduce the requirement for general practitioners to chase test results, referral letters, appointments, process non-standard summaries and information around prescriptions. The wasted time through patients failing to attend appointments will also be reduced.
	There are significant efficiency opportunities for GPs, and the high degree of computerisation across GP practices already collects and maintains much of the data that will become standard.
	The overall result will not be a reduction in the time GPs have available to spend with their patients. Indeed, the availability of accurate and up-to-date information through the integrated care records service will improve the quality of care that GPs are able to provide to their patients.

Medical Staff

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many (a) general practitioners, (b) hospital doctors and (c) consultants in London are over (i) 45 and (ii) 55; and what proportion of the total these figures represent.

John Hutton: The number of general practitioners, hospital doctors and consultants in London broken down by age is shown in the table.
	
		Hospital, Public Health Medicine, Community Health Services (HCHS) and General and Personal Medical Services: General practitioners, medical and dental consultants and hospital doctors -- England, as at 30 September 2002numbers (headcount)
		
			   of which: of which: 
			  All Doctors General Practitioners HCHS Doctors Consultants 
		
		
			 All age-bands 19,990 4,727 15,263 5,491 
			 Under 30 3,823 187 3,636 — 
			 30–34 3,667 559 3,108 91 
			 35–39 3,242 646 2,596 982 
			 40–44 2,637 750 1,887 1,310 
			 45–49 2,063 654 1,409 1,086 
			 50–54 1,858 713 1,145 895 
			 55–59 1,538 630 908 682 
			 60–64 831 357 474 364 
			 65–69 281 201 80 68 
			 70 and over 50 30 20 13 
			 Percentage aged 45 or over 33.1 54.7 26.4 56.6 
			 Percentage aged 55 or over 13.5 25.8 9.7 20.5 
		
	
	Sources:
	Department of Health medical and dental workforce census.
	Department of Health General and Personal Medical Services Statistics.

Mental Health

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the efficiency of each Mental Health Review Tribunal English administrative office; and if he will make a statement.

Rosie Winterton: Each Mental Health Review Tribunal office was examined in detail during the Robert Lee review. Robert Lee reported that each office had regional variations in efficiency and practice, linked to their geographical position and workload.
	The benefits of consolidating the regional offices into one model across two closely linked centres, chime with those set out in the review of tribunals and the independent review of the Mental Health Review Tribunal administration.

Mental Health

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the benefits of establishing a single English administrative office of the Mental Health Review Tribunal; and if he will make a statement.

Rosie Winterton: In 2001, Sir Andrew Leggatt reported to the Lord Chancellor on his review of tribunals. His recommendations included a central administration for all tribunals.
	In early 2002, Robert Lee undertook a review of the administration of the Mental Health Review Tribunal (MHRT). He reported in October, and a key recommendation was to reduce the four MHRT offices to one in order to support consistency of practice, systems and use of resources.
	Both reports supported a single administration. Current plans are to rationalise the service over two centres in London. Benefits will be:
	consistency of approach to the management and listing of cases;
	better and more flexible use of staff and judicial resources; and
	assurance for the Secretary of State for Health that his statutory obligations are met.

Mental Health

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what factors underlay (a) the decision to maintain the two London offices of the Mental Health Review Tribunal and (b) the timing of the reorganisation; and if he will make a statement.

Rosie Winterton: The decision to consolidate the administration in the two London offices is based upon the availability of suitable accommodation and the retention of as much staff expertise as possible.
	The timing is part of a project plan to deliver the consolidation of the administrative model by the end of this financial year.

Mental Health

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what his policy is on access to patient records by patients with mental illnesses.

Rosie Winterton: Access to patient records by any patient, regardless of whether they are mentally ill, must be in accordance with the provisions of the Data Protection Act 1998.

Mental Health

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what his policy is on access to mental health records of patients by voluntary sector bodies providing care to those patients.

Rosie Winterton: Access to mental health records by voluntary sector bodies must be in accordance with the Data Protection Act 1998, common law obligations of confidentiality and other relevant legislation.

Midwifery

Alice Mahon: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many student nurses and midwives who left their courses in each year since 2000 as a result of pregnancy did not return after maternity absence.

John Hutton: The information requested is not available centrally.

Midwifery

Alice Mahon: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what would be the annual cost nationally of (a) continuing the bursary for student midwives who have babies during their studies, (b) paying statutory maternity pay to these students and (c) paying maternity allowance to them.

John Hutton: The Department does not collect information on the number of student midwives who suspend their training as a result of pregnancy. It is not, therefore, possible to assess the cost of continuing to pay bursaries to such students. Similarly, and although students in general are not eligible for either statutory maternity pay or maternity allowance (these being dependent on a woman satisfying qualifying conditions based on employment and earnings), it is not possible to estimate the notional cost of paying either of these to any group of national health service-funded students.

Midwifery

Alice Mahon: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many student midwives and nurses enrolled on diploma and degree courses between 2000 and 2003; how many student midwives and nurses took maternity leave within that period; and how many diploma students, who took maternity absence, were required to repay part of their bursary.

John Hutton: During the period 2000–01 to 2002–03 the national health service commissioned a total of 67,020 nursing and midwifery training places, including post-registration places for those qualified nurses training in midwifery as a second professional registration.
	The Department does not collect information on the number of student nurses and midwives who withdraw from or suspend their training as a result of pregnancy.

Midwifery

Janet Dean: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what estimate he has made of the number of midwives needed per 100,000 of the population to provide proper safety for mothers and their babies;
	(2)  how many midwives per 100,000 of the population there are in (a) the East Staffordshire Primary Care Trust area and (b) England.

John Hutton: The Government has not made any assessment of the number of midwives needed per 100,000 population. The Government expects there to be 2,000 more midwives being employed in the National Health Service in 2006 than there were in 2000. Since 2000, there has already been an increase of 680 midwives in the NHS. As at September 2002, there were 23,249 midwives.
	Information on staff in post figures for primary care trust areas is not available. Information on the number of midwives per 100,000 population in England and Shropshire and Staffordshire Strategic Health Authority is shown in the table.
	
		Midwives employed in the NHS per 100,000 population as at September 2002
		
			  Headcount Whole-time equivalents 
		
		
			 England 47 37 
			 Shropshire and Staffordshire SHA 44 34 
		
	
	The Department funded the Royal College of Midwives to produce Birthrate Plus, a tool for assessing workforce requirements in maternity units. It is for individual units and trusts to decide whether to use it.

Midwifery

Janet Dean: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many places are available for midwifery training; and if he will make a statement.

John Hutton: In 2002–03, there were 1,433 pre-registration training places for midwifery; a further 677 nurses entered training for a second qualification as a midwife. The Government is committed to increasing the number of training places for midwifery; the NHS Plan pledged that, by 2004, there would be 5,500 more students entering training for a first qualification to become a nurse or midwife than in 1999. Since 1999–2000, there has been an overall increase of 4,249 towards the target, including 418, or 41 per cent., more midwifery training places.

National Staff Survey

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he will publish the results of the national staff survey.

Rosie Winterton: The Commission for Health Improvement is expected to publish the results of the national survey in February 2004.

NHS Estate

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to his answer of 14 October 2003, Official Report, column 52W, on the NHS Estate and health and safety, how many (a) beds and (b) patients are normally accommodated within the floor area concerned.

John Hutton: holding answer 27 October 2003
	This information is not collected in the format requested.

NHS Senior Management

Archie Norman: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many NHS trust chief executives there are in England and Wales, broken down by (a) sex, (b) background in medicine, (c) background in nursing, (d) background in a profession allied to medicine, (e) ethnic minority and (f) disability.

John Hutton: There are currently 619 national health service trust chief executives in England, of whom 393 are male and 226 are female. Chief executives are not obligated to supply information on their ethnic group, nor on their background. The available information is shown in the tables. The Department does not hold information on disability of NHS trust chief executives.
	Information for Wales is a matter for the devolved administration.
	
		1. NHS trust chief executives by ethnic group
		
			  Headcount 
		
		
			 Total 619 
			 White UK 348 
			 White other 9 
			 Asian 2 
			 Not given 260 
		
	
	
		2. NHS trust chief executives by background
		
			  Headcount 
		
		
			 Total 619 
			 Medical 10 
			 Nursing 24 
			 Clinical other 11 
			 Previous NHS managerial 134 
			 Public sector 34 
			 Private sector 18 
			 Voluntary sector 5 
			 Finance 21 
			 Not given 362

NHS Spending Limits

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what total capital spending limits are set for the NHS in the next three years.

John Hutton: The table shows the net national health service capital expenditure plans for 2004–05 to 2006–07 (England).
	
		Total net NHS capital expenditure plans(45), England 2004–05 to 2006–07 -- £ billions
		
			  Capital expenditure 
		
		
			 2004–05 (46)3.4 
			 2005–06 (46)4.4 
			 2006–07 (46)5.2 
		
	
	(45) Plans as announced by the Chancellor in the Budget, 2002.
	(46) Plan.

NHS University

Helen Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what assessment he has made of the impact on the recruitment and retention of NHS staff which would occur if the NHS University were to require its students to pay tuition fees;
	(2)  for which courses the NHS University is considering charging tuition fees; and what the expected level of such fees is;
	(3)  what discussions his Department has held with (a) NHS human resources managers and (b) trade unions about the impact which charging tuition fees for NHS University courses would have on workforce development; and if he will make a statement.

John Hutton: holding answer 27 October 2003
	The National Health Service University (NHSU) will provide additional high quality learning opportunities at all levels for people working in health and social care. It will not generally levy charges on students for the learning opportunities offered in its initial roll-out phase. The NHSU is currently working with local employers and commissioners, through strategic health authorities, to develop its longer-term business model, and expects to attract income from a wide range of public and private sources. Any decision to levy charges on NHS staff will take account of the need to increase and widen access to education and training within health and social care. There will be appropriate consultation on these matters with all the relevant stakeholders, including employers in the sector and trades unions.

NHS Waiting Lists

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people have been removed from NHS waiting lists in each of the past three years because (a) they have died and (b) they have been admitted as an emergency for the same condition.

John Hutton: I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave him on Thursday 22 May 2003, Official Report, column 971W.

Nurse Training

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much (a) time and (b) weighting is placed on hygiene and cleanliness in the standard training programme for an NHS nurse.

John Hutton: Information on the time and weighting of hygiene and cleanliness training in pre-registration courses is not held centrally.
	Pre-registration nursing education programmes are jointly approved by the regulator, the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC), and the relevant higher education institution. While the content must meet NMC and EU requirements, additional content may be included to reflect the employment needs of the local service providers. The current curriculum provides a grounding in nursing that would be progressed by undertaking post-registration training.

Nursing and Midwifery Council

Annabelle Ewing: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many full-time staff were employed by the Nursing and Midwifery Council in each year since 2000; how many of these staff were deployed in processing (a) European applications and (b) other applications; how many applications were received in each year since 2000; what the average length of time was for dealing with applications received in each year since 2000; and how many applications received in each year since 2000 were not dealt with within this average length of time.

John Hutton: The Department does not collect this information. The Nursing and Midwifery Council is responsible for publishing information about its performance.

Nursing and Midwifery Council

Annabelle Ewing: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will provide a breakdown by country of the applications (a) received and (b) rejected by the Nursing and Midwifery Council in each year since 2000.

John Hutton: The Department does not collect this information. The Nursing and Midwifery Council is responsible for publishing information about its performance on applications it has received for registration and its decisions on those applications.

Paddington Health Campus Project

John Randall: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what costs have been incurred by the Paddington Health Campus project on external consultants and advisers in each of the financial years since its inception.

John Hutton: A total of £3.177 million has been spent to 31 March 2003 on advisers' fees for planning the Paddington Health Campus.
	£1.479 million was spent on fees until October 2000 by the former Kensington and Chelsea and Westminster Health Authority (on behalf of the West London Partnership Forum) to provide a strategic outline case and an outline business case. These costs include fees forthe town planning application submissions necessary as a component of this process.
	£231,000 was spent on fees between October 2000 and March 2001 by St Mary's Hospital National Health Service Trust on behalf of the Paddington Heath Campus project, whose partner organisations are St Mary's, the Royal Brompton and Harefield NHS Trust and Imperial College London.
	£520,000 was then spent on fees in the financial year 2001–02 and £947,000 in 2002–03.

Patient Forums

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what the results have been of the campaign to recruit members of the public for patient forums;
	(2)  how many of the patient forums he expects to have a full quota of members by 1 December 2003.

Rosie Winterton: The programme of recruitment to the patients' forums is still under way. We understand the national and local advertising campaigns have elicited a large number of applications, which are currently being processed by the Commission for Patient and Public Involvement in Health (CPPIH).
	The CPPIH is on track for achieving full forum coverage by 1 December 2003.

Pharmacies

Brian Cotter: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what framework regulates (a) mail order and (b) internet based pharmacies; what monitoring his Department undertakes of their activities; and if he will make a statement.

Rosie Winterton: holding answer 30 October 2003
	Mail order and internet-based pharmacies are governed by the provisions of the Medicines Act 1968 and, if they provide national health service pharmaceutical services, by the NHS Act 1977. The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) is responsible for enforcing the provisions of the Medicines Act and related legislation which regulate the sale and supply of medicines. The MHRA does not routinely monitor internet-based pharmacies. However, its enforcement group investigates any allegations of illegal activity of which it is made aware.
	In addition, the Royal Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain is responsible for inspecting all pharmacy premises for registration purposes under the Medicines Act, including mail-order and internet based pharmacies. Its code of ethics and standards sets out the further professional standards required of remote delivery and on-line pharmacy services including safe and secure transportation and delivery of medicines, patient confidentiality, provision of information and advice and record keeping.

Portable Oxygen Cylinders

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to his answer of 2 October 2003, Offical Report, col. 1334W, on medical equipment how many portable oxygen cylinders have been purchased for (a) England, (b) each strategic health authority and (c) each NHS trust under the contract; and if he will make a statement.

Melanie Johnson: The national contract is for the rental of portable oxygen cylinders, rather than the purchase. In 2002, a review revealed 18,000 cylinders from the contract were in place in National Health Service trusts in England. Information is not held centrally for each NHS trust or strategic health authority.

Primary Care Trusts

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the impact on the Adur, Arun and Worthing primary care trust area of his Department's health policies since 1997, expressed (a) in total terms and (b) by expenditure by head of population compared with equivalent national average figures.

Rosie Winterton: Figures are provided for Adur, Arun and Worthing Primary Care Trust (PCT) and in total for all PCTs in England in 2002–2003.
	It is not possible to provide any historic figures due to the re-organisation of the National Health Service. The Adur, Arun and Worthing PCT has only been in existence for the one year 2002–03.
	Total commissioning expenditure and expenditure per resident head of population is shown—weighted population figures are not available for PCT areas. It should also be noted that the individual and national figures are not directly comparable because the strategic health authorities would have differing commissioning policies in different areas.
	
		Commissioning Net Operating Costs 2002–2003
		
			  Expenditure in total per head (£000) Expenditureper head (£) 
		
		
			 Adur, Arun and Worthing PCT 209,560 968.45 
			 PCTs (England) 42,387,867 865.62 
		
	
	Note:2002–03 data remains provisional.
	Sources:Primary care trust audited summarisation schedules 2002–03. Primary Care Organisations—Resident Populations.

Risk Management

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Health which hospital trusts have achieved (a) CNST Level 3 and (b) a lower level of compliance.

Rosie Winterton: Information on the levels of compliance for the clinical negligence scheme for trusts, as at 31 March 2003, published by the Commission for Health Improvement has been placed in the Library.

Risk Management

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Health which NHS hospital trusts (a) do and (b) do not have a current risk management/quality control system in place.

John Hutton: All national health service trusts have risk management and internal control systems in place.
	As part of statutory reporting, chief executives are required to sign a statement on behalf of their board to the effect that they have reviewed the effectiveness of the system of internal control. This statement is published in the annual report and accounts of every NHS organisation.

School Meals

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what percentage of 4 to 7-year-olds are entitled to participate in the national school fruit scheme; and when he expects this scheme to be in place for all children.

Melanie Johnson: The national school fruit scheme will entitle every child aged four to six in local education authority schools to a free piece of fruit each school day. Children aged seven or three will also receive fruit where they share classes with children aged six or four. Region-wide pilots for the scheme have been introduced so far in four of the nine English regions, with funding from the New Opportunities Fund, and nearly half of all eligible children in England are in schools that are participating in the scheme. We are examining the practicalities of the scheme through these pilots before rolling it out nationally next year.

Severance Payments

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many severance payments in excess of (a) £500,000 and (b) £700,000, including all benefits, have been made to NHS executives serving in the areas covered by the Surrey and Sussex and South West London strategic health authorities in the past 12 months.

John Hutton: The information requested is not held centrally.

Sight Tests

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many free sight tests were given to (a) pensioners, (b) children and (c) others in (i) West Sussex and (ii) England in each year since 1997.

Rosie Winterton: The table shows the number of National Health Service sight tests paid for in West Sussex Health Authority for 1997–98 to 2002–03. Figures for the number of sight tests by age are not collected centrally. The table shows the number of sight test in the categories "children aged 0 to 15" and "patient aged 60 and over".
	Eligibility to NHS sight tests was extended to those aged 60 and over from 1 April 1999. There was an increase of 2.4 million sight tests between 1998–99 and 1999–2000 in England. It is fair to assume that the vast majority of this increase was due to newly eligible people aged 60 or over obtaining NHS sight tests.
	However, some patients aged 60 and over will be eligible for sight tests for other reasons as well, for example, on income grounds. The classification for such patients will depend on the patient and the practitioner. The increase in the number of sight tests for those over 60 may therefore reflect an increasing awareness of the eligibility of over 60s.
	
		General Ophthalmic Services: Number of sight tests paid for in West Sussex Health Authority and England for the year's 1997–98 to 2002–03 -- Thousands
		
			 Year Sight tests for children 0 to 15 Sight tests for those aged 60 and over Sight tests for other categories Total number of sight tests 
		
		
			  West Sussex  
			 1997–98 34.0 - - 95.4 
			 1998–99 39.1 - - 97.3 
			 1999–2000 34.5 73.7 41.0 149.3 
			 2000–01 36.5 77.4 40.5 154.4 
			 2001–02 36.5 84.2 31.6 152.3 
			 2002–03 30.7 89.5 34.8 155.0 
			 England 
			 1997–98 2,385.5 - - 6991.3 
			 1998–99 2,458.9 - - 6992.3 
			 1999–2000 2,425.7 3,301.4 3,672.3 9399.4 
			 2000–01 2,404.0 3,753.3 3,409.8 9567.1 
			 2001–02 2,374.9 4,013.0 3,419.5 9807.4 
			 2002–03 2,284.4 4,135.7 3,242.0 9662.1 
		
	
	Note:Data on eligibility category is derived from a 2 per cent. sample.

Smoking

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the incidence of smoking is in the UK, broken down by ethnic origin.

Melanie Johnson: The information is not available in the form requested. The available data are shown in the table.
	
		Prevalence of cigarette smoking amongst adults aged 16 and over, by minority ethnic group—England 1999
		
			 Cigarette smoking status (self reported) Black Caribbean Indian Pakistani Bangladeshi Chinese Irish General population 
		
		
			 Men
			 Current cigarette smoker 35 23 26 44 17 39 27 
			 Ex-regular cigarette smoker 18 12 7 10 18 29 31 
			 Never regular cigarette smoker 47 65 67 46 65 32 42 
			 Women
			 Current cigarette smoker 25 6 5 1 9 33 27 
			 Ex-regular cigarette smoker 11 1 1 1 3 25 22 
			 Never regular cigarette smoker 64 93 94 98 88 42 52 
		
	
	Source:
	Department of Health report: 'Health Survey for England—The Health of Minority Ethnic Groups 99' (adapted from table 4.1).
	Available from the internet at:
	http://www.archive.official-documents.co.uk/document/doh/survey99/hse99-t4–1.htm

Smoking

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Health where the smoking cessation co-ordinators in post at 31 March 2002 were based; and how many smoking cessation co-ordinators are in post.

Melanie Johnson: On 31 March 2002, there were 109 smoking cessation co-ordinators (whole time equivalent) in post in the former health authorities. Further information is not available.

Smoking

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much funding has been allocated for the campaign to highlight the dangers of smoking (a) in 2003–04 and (b) 2004–05.

Melanie Johnson: To date, a total of £24,103,130 has been committed to the tobacco information campaign in 2003–04. The final total for this year is not yet available and the sum allocated for 2004–05 has not been set.

Private Patients

Frank Dobson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the total amount invoiced to private patients by NHS trusts was in each of the last five years.

John Hutton: The Department does not keep any information relating to such invoices.

Social Care

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the running cost of the General Social Care Council was in each of the last five years.

Stephen Ladyman: The General Social Care Council has only been in operation since October 2001. Its operating costs were £4,034,000 in the financial year 2001–02 and £9,786,000 in the financial year 2002–03, its first full year of operation.

Social Care

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people are employed by the General Social Care Council.

Stephen Ladyman: The General Social Care Council currently employs 119 members of staff: 113 full-time and six part-time.

Waiting Lists

David Davis: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people were on in-patient waiting lists for (a) Hull Royal Infirmary and (b) Castle Hill Hospital in the last month for which figures are available.

Melanie Johnson: holding answer 16 October 2003
	Information relating to individual hospital sites is not held centrally. However, as at 31 August 2003, 10,349 patients were waiting for elective inpatient admission at the Hull and East Yorkshire Hospitals National Health Service Trust, none of whom had been waiting for more than 12 months.
	Source:
	Department of Health.

Waiting Lists

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list hospital trusts in London which have experienced an increase in (a) in-patient, (b) out-patient and (c) total waiting lists in the past two years.

John Hutton: Information is not collected centrally on the total out-patient waiting list in London. National health service trusts which have shown an increase in their elective in-patient admission waiting lists are shown in the table.
	
		NHS Trusts within London who have shown an increase in their elective in-patient admission list in comparison with their over 12 month waiters
		
			  August 2001 August 2003 Difference over time 
			 NHS trusts Total list Over 12 month waiters Total list Over 12 month waiters Total list Over 12 month waiters 
		
		
			  
			  
			 Barnett & Chase Farm Hospitals NHS Trust 7,575 601 8,513 0 938 -601 
			 Bromley hospitals NHS Trust 5,576 147 5,610 0 34 -147 
			 Chelsea & Westminster Hospitals NHS Trust 2,873 52 2,927 0 54 -52 
			 Hammersmith Hospitals NHS Trust 5,592 179 6,314 0 722 -179 
			 Hillingdon Hospital NHS Trust 2,136 34 2,171 0 35 -34 
			 Lewisham Hospital NHS Trust 3,839 400 3,927 0 88 -400 
			 Queen Elizabeth Hospital NHS Trust 2,564 0 3,302 0 738 0 
			 Royal Marsden Hospital NHS Trust 83 0 291 0 208 0

Waiting Times

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list the (a) average and (b) maximum waiting time in (i) England, (ii) each strategic health authority and (iii) each NHS trust for CT scans in each of the last six years.

Melanie Johnson: Data is not collected centrally on waiting times for computed tomography (CT) scans. The length of time that a patient may have to wait for a scan is dependent on their clinical condition. Emergency cases need to be seen immediately. Other cases will be carried out as quickly as possible, dependent on the clinical priority of all patients waiting to be scanned.
	Where a CT scan forms part of the diagnostic process for a patient urgently referred with suspected cancer, this will be covered by the target of a maximum two months wait from urgent referral to first treatment, which will be in place for all cancers by the end of 2005.
	The Cancer Capital Modernisation Fund and the NHS Cancer Plan has provided funding for 200 new and replacement CT scanners to increase the capacity of diagnostic services by 2004.